Inuyasha: A Prologue
by MistressofthePen1987
Summary: Set after the 3rd Inuyasha Movie. Reflecting upon their battle with Sounga, the Inu-group starts to muse over how Inutaisho and Izayoi came to be. This is my theory. Rated M for sexy time later in the fic. COMPLETE (possible epilogue later)
1. Chapter 1

**Uh-oh...I uh...started a new fic ^-^;**

**This is the newest to my Fanficology and comes with a suprising challenge. The choice is yours my darlings, I am halfway through this fic. If you like how it's going and want me to continue let me know!!! I'm not going to be a douche and not continue if you don't R&R, but the reviews always help.**

**A bit o' info: I came up with this story after seeing the 3rd Inuyasha Movie (God, I love Sesshomaru). The way everyone interacted at the final betrayal made so much and so little sense to me that I began to create what the prequel might have been for Inuyasha. This story is basically the meeting and love story that led to Inuyasha's birth. Set post-battle with Sounga.**

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**Disclaimer: I plan on flying to Japan and seducing Rumiko Takahashi, in our sexual ecstacy, she will give me the rights to Inuyasha (or at least my Sesshy). Until that time however she is the owner along with the capitalist pigs that cash in on another person's work (bitter much?).**

**Sesshy: And how do you plan of seducing her? I'm pretty sure Mother isn't a lesbo.**

**Me: Well, neither am I, I will disguise myself as a man. MWAHAHAHAHAAA AHHHAAAAAA!**

**Sesshy: You know the readers can see this? Right.**

**Me: Oh...um...*throws smoke pellet***

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Chapter 1: Once Upon A Time

Peace had been returned to the Sengoku Jidai.

Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Rin, Jakken, and AhUn were sitting around the campfire, each person quietly reflecting the battle they'd just won against Takemaru of Setsuna and the evil sword Sounga; they had all learned so many things, about themselves and about one another.

Jakken was the first to speak, and by speak I mean whine, "The battle is over, so why are we still here?!"

Rin made her way from AhUn, sitting her child form next to his smaller youkai one, "We're hurt, we'd just slow him down Jakken-sama," she soothed him the way a mother soothed it's child, "Besides, he'll return for us," this seemed to satiate the youkai, but only slightly. Jakken crossed his arms and turned away from her.

Kagome watched Rin, surprised wholeheartedly at how mature the child really was. Her eyes scanned over towards her left where Inuyasha was sitting, she hadn't really talked to him since she put the Beads of Subjugation back on him, and she wondered if he was still angry with her.

The hanyou caught her gaze, he stared at her a moment, before giving her a dirty look and turning back away. Kagome rolled her eyes, but still stared at him.

"He looks angry, but I think he's really happy,"

Kagome turned to see Sango was staring at Inuyasha as well, the slayer turned to Kagome, "After all what we all wouldn't give to be able to see our fathers again,"

Kagome nodded in agreement, she couldn't believe she hadn't realized that no one in that group had a living father before, "He seemed so nice, Inuyasha's father I mean," she said, Sango nodded.

Kagome looked at Rin, "But I wonder what happened to Sesshomaru," she stated nonchalantly.

Sango turned to her female friend, "What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"Well, Inuyasha says he didn't know his father, but it seems to me like Sesshomaru does. If that was the case, why is Inuyasha so caring and Sesshomaru so cruel?"

"We were raised majoritively by our mothers," Inuyasha decided to take this moment to intervene, "from what I gather, Sesshomaru's mother isn't the kindest of women,"

"You can say that again," Jakken piped in, he had after all visited Sesshomaru's mother once- the woman threw her own son into the pits of hell for Kami's sake!

Inuyasha nodded and turned away, hoping the subject would veer away from his home life. It didn't.

"I don't think so," Kagome continued, poking at the fire, she watched as hundreds of embers fled from their disturbed resting place, "The way he looked when he saw his father was the look of someone who truly missed that person being around. Sesshomaru doesn't exactly wear his heart on his sleeve, it must have been a great effort for him to allow an expression like that to grace his features,"

Inuyasha bristled at how fondly Kagome was speaking about his brother, he never heard her speak like that. Jakken didn't like it either, "Don't you dare speak of Sesshomaru-sama in such a lax manner!" He shouted; Kagome turned to the little toad, "Well? Answer us then, you spend a lot of time with him, what do you know?" she asked.

Jakken opened his beak but no sound came out, everyone stared at him for answers. Finally the toad turned away from them all, "I'll not discuss my master's personal life with the likes of you!"

The toad squeaked as a hand pushed him into the dirt, "Why don't you just say you don't know!" Inuyasha barked, madder at the fact that he waited for some kind of answer along with the rest of them.

Miroku began to flinch, finally he raised his cursed hand and smacked it against his neck, "Something's biting me," he stated, more to himself than to the others, the gang watch as a smushed Myoga floated down from the puncture site to the ground, "I was just tasting!" he grunted.

Inuyasha reached over and picked the flea up by his little kimono, "Myoga, nice surprise considering you're supposed to be helping Totosai and Saia seal Sounga away, something wrong?" he inquired, the flea sputtered a series of excuses before Inuyasha answered for him, "You got scared, right?" he asked, smashing the flea into the ground, Kagome gave him a scolding look that he ignored, he was still mad at her and even more so now because of what she said about Sesshomaru, "Oh! Just sit!" she yelled.

A flash of purple and Inuyasha did a wonderful face plant into the hard ground.

"Arigato-gozaimasu, Kagome-sama," The flea cracked his back and stood erect, "I was not needed so I decided to come back." He said, still attempting to seem cool. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Actually did I hear you guys discussing The Daiyoukai?" he asked, everyone's attention turned to the little flea, even Inuyasha, when he was able to sit up again. Despite being the one to make him face-plant, Kagome handed him her handkerchief to wipe blood from his nose, the hanyou reluctantly accepted it.

Myoga reached into the pack he was carrying, took out a tiny tea set and began to boil water. After that, he opened the cloth and made his usual tea drinking space. The group waited for the old flea to get comfortable to ask questions.

"So what were you talking about?" he asked.

Kagome was the first, "We were just wondering what kind of man The Daiyoukai was,"

"And why is Inuyasha nice and Sesshomaru cruel?" Sango added.

"How could the same man love a cold demoness and a kind human?" Miroku asked.

Myoga took a long sip, he held the cup for a moment, his little flea head looking up at the sky in a contemplative manner, "I think…the best way to explain…would be to just tell you how Inuyasha's mother and father met,"

The whole group fell silent, and listened intently as Myoga began to reveal the one of the greatest love stories on earth…

"Once upon a time…there was a kind woman who was promised to another…"

**-------------------------------------201 years in the past-----------------------------------**

_"Oh! Izayoi-sama, you look lovely!"_

_  
The poor 20 year old woman struggled under the layers of white and red kimonos, her legs were stiff from standing on the pedestal for an hour and her arms were searing with pain as the shakily held her headpiece up, "I don't feel lovely, why am I doing this again?" she asked, motioning at a girl beside her to wipe the sweat from her brows._

_  
Yukiko, her good friend sighed and fussed at a loose strand in the top kimono, "We need to make sure the kimono fits properly, a badly fitted kimono will result in years of bad luck!" she warned, "That's just silly superstition," she fussed. Yukikio laughed, "Silly? You who studies youkai adamanty think superstition is silly? I should have a good laugh from that,"_

_  
"I'd rather be reading up on them than standing like this!" she said with an exasperated smile, "Just a little longer, Izayoi," Yukiko pleaded._

_  
Izayoi sighed and shifted to get blood back into her legs, "Mistress, please don't move!" one of the older seamstress scolded her, "But I've been fitted 4 times already, I shall die before the wedding day comes!" she semi-joked. Yukiko finally got the gist of her poor friend and shook her head, "All right, Izayoi, we're done,"_

_  
Izayoi shed the 13 kimonos from her small frame and dawned a light summer kimono. As people bustled around her, the bride to be fled into the forest for sanctuary._

_  
She, Izayoi of Tenshimaru was days away from wedding her childhood friend Takemaru of Setsuna and nothing in this world could make her happier. The proposal was quite a surprise; due mostly to the fact that Takemaru was thought to be promised to another lady off of the main land. However it was speculated that when he laid eyes on the Lady Izayoi after 5 years apart, he immediately called off the wedding and instead chose her to rule by his side._

_  
She turned back to the disappearing palace, even from there she could see the chaos that was wedding preparation, people running back and forth, decorations going up and coming down at her friend and master of ceremonies, Yukiko command._

_  
Sighing, she turned and continued her retreat into the forest; it was always so peaceful whenever she ventured out of the castle grounds. Dense trees hid a pathway through the mountains to a beautiful lake in the center; flowers bloomed in abundance, breaking the monotonous green and brown with blue, yellow, and purple intervals._

_  
She picked a sakura blossom and held it to her nose, inhaling its wonderful scent. Her heart felt so full right now, not only was she going to marry her best friend, but a spell of peace had over fallen the land, giving people a sense of security and finally reuniting a lot of her servants, she loved all them so much and was elated when a good majority of them came back unharmed._

_  
Her reverie was infiltrated by a noise to her left, it sounded like growling; as though two animals were fighting. She'd have thought it was just that had the sound of metals crashing against one another not indicated something more human. Izayoi followed the sound, off of the path and into the forest, never knowing just how symbolic such simple act would be._

_  
She kept herself low, if it was animals fighting, she certainly didn't want to get caught in the middle of it. The trees slowly gave way to the scene of a battle, Izayoi's eyes widened at the sight before her:_

_  
Two humans- no, demons! Two demons were fighting; the first one was bald with red eyes and slits on his nose- every so often a forked tongue flickered in and out of jagged yellow teeth. His body was clad in armor fashioned to look like scales, 'A serpent youkai?' she concluded. She then looked at the other, this one was far more remarkable than his rival, a man with long, silver hair tied back in a tight ponytail, gold eyes glared at his opponent and jagged purple markings on his face gave him a dangerous air, he was clad in traditional samurai attire, with a few demonic adaptations, Izayoi tried to make out what kind of demon he was, but couldn't._

_  
The snake youkai threw needles of energy at the other youkai, who dodged them with ease, the silver haired demon unsheathed one of his 2 swords, he lifted it over his head before bringing it down with all his might, screaming, "**DRAGON TWISTER!!!!**"_

_  
A horrible purple light shot forth with dark energy surrounding it, it began to spin, creating a horrible vortex of wind, it hit the snake youkai dead on, destroying its' armor and weakening it substantially. Izayoi cried out, clinging to the three next to her for dear life as the blast continued its course, when it subsided she realized her hiding spot had been compromised. The youkai pierced her brown eyes with his golden ones, "Fool! Get out of here if you value your life!"_

_  
Izayoi wasn't listening to his rants, her eyes were focused on the giant snake behind him, the demon seemed to hadn't noticed, "Watch out!" she cried.  
_

_The beast lunged forward, sinking its fangs into the silver-haired youkai's right shoulder, he roared in pain before punching the serpent, it let go and retreated to the other side of the battle field._

_  
The silver-haired youkai kneeled, grasping his shoulder; his face was contorted into one of pain. His eyes were dangerously angry, but it was the low, guttural  
growl he uttered that finally revealed to Izayoi what animal he was._

_The serpent transformed back into its human-like form and spoke, "Foolish Inu-youkai! You let your guard down, now die at the hands of Orochimaru_ (I know I know, I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a good name for him)_!" he shot forward, sword at the ready, feet away from finishing off his rival when an object hit him square in the face._

_  
The youkai's head reeled back as a small blue shoe blinded him._

_  
Orochimaru shook it from his face and turned to his new assailant, "You, ningen, you dare attack a daiyoukai?!" he spat, Izayoi glared at him, "You, youkai, you fight with dishonor? That's not the way of a true daiyoukai!" she screamed back at him. The snake's eyes narrowed at her, he scowled, ""I'll not suffer your insolence, prepare to be devoured!!!" he lunged at her, fangs and claws gleaming, Izayoi froze, there was nowhere to go!_

_  
"**KAZE…. **_

**_  
NO…._**

**_  
KIZU!!!!!"_**

_  
A blast occurred behind the serpent, in a matter of seconds it consumed him, ripping his body in half before disintegrating in the fiery energy of its wake,_

_  
"**GRRRRRRAAAAAAAARRRGLLLLL**," were Orochimaru's last words._

_  
Izayoi brought her thick kimono sleeves up to shield her from the light, when it seemed to subside, she looked up. She saw the other youkai standing, but barely, holding a large, steaming sword in his hands. Where had that sword come from? She didn't see it on his person, but more importantly, she was amazed, this man had saved her life._

_  
The youkai was panting hard, Izayoi approached him wanting to thank him for his kindness, instead he brought the sword up and pointed it at her, "Stay away!" he barked, Izayoi stopped where she stood, "I just want to thank you," she said gently. "And you have," he breathed, "I saved you, but I trust no humans, leave me be," he warned. Izayoi just stood there as a cloud encompassed him, before he disappeared into the smoke, she saw a wince of pain in his eyes, her eyes widened, 'He got bit! I'd nearly forgotten!' she ran towards the smoke, but by the time she got to it, it began to vanish, the youkai was gone._

_  
Worry settled in her heart, he looked like he was in a great amount of pain, was that snake poisonous? Would he be o.k.? She looked down and gasped, a puddle of blood stood where he did, and she raised her head, she saw the blood made a trail into the woods, 'Best leave, Izayoi, you are obviously unwelcomed,' her logical side tried to reason with her, however her compassionate side wouldn't falter, 'Maybe I can just make sure he's all right, then I'll leave,' she nodded in agreement with herself and followed the trail of blood._

_  
Indeed it led her to him, she found him lying against a tree in the densest part of the forest, his face was soaked with sweat as blood poured from his right shoulder, his eyes were closed, but somehow Izayoi knew he was on high alert. She stepped into the clearing, purposely being noisy as to not alarm him. The youkai's eyes shot open and found her, "I told you not to follow me," he growled, baring his fangs at her. Izayoi was nervous, but would not budge, "You're hurt," she said, "I can help you,"_

_  
He turned away from her, "I don't need your help, like I said I don't trust your kind, get out of here before I choose to kill you," his voice was low and dangerous. Izayoi wanted to flee, but her heart was far too kind to leave him like that. Instead, she furrowed her eyebrows at him, "Then kill me, but I won't leave you here!" she said sternly and slowly made her way towards him._

_  
The youkai growled at her, but made no move to kill her as she moved to his side. Truth be told, he would have killed her on the spot, but the poison was absorbed into his nervous system and his body was no longer listening to him._

_  
Izayoi kneeled and unclasped the button holding a furry white pelt in place, her hands were immediately soaked in blood as she removed his armor and haori, exposing a tan, muscular shoulder. The girl couldn't fight a blush, never before had she seen a man this unclothed before- and to think it would be a demon too._

_  
She looked at the wound, two swollen puncture marks were oozing out blood, she pushed at the sides of the wound receiving a growl of pain from her patient, clear liquid dripped out, 'Thank kami, the poison hasn't spread too far,' she said to herself. Izayoi pressed her lips to the wound, sucking out the poison, turning she spit it out and resumed sucking the rest out._

_  
The youkai stared at the human, why was she doing this? More importantly, why wasn't she fleeing in fear of him? He'd never come across a human that would put their lives in danger for a demon, they were weak cowards in his eyes and would turn on you in an instant, was she no different?_

_  
He stared at her features; he supposed she was pretty, for a human, raven black hair and skin as fair as rice. Her eyes gave away a heart that was far too kind for its own good. Why did she follow him? Did she mean to lead others to his whereabouts? No, if that were the case she would have fled while he was fighting and she certainly wouldn't have helped him out they way she did._

_  
Izayou spit out the last of the poison, she grabbed mud and leaves, packing them onto the wound, "This will suck out the rest and purify the wound," she explained, "You are a miko?" The youkai asked, already on the defense again, the girl shook her head, "No, I'm merely the lady of the house of Tenshimaru," she said, "But I love to work with herbs and medicines." She looked down, the youkai watched as she ripped a piece of her kimono off and wrapped it around the mixture, "Tomorrow wash it off," she said._

_  
"Why did you follow me?" he asked, not giving her kindness any credit, Izayoi just smiled, "I was worried about you," she said. The youkai just stared at her, surprised._

_  
"Izayou-sama!"_

_  
"Lady Izayoi, where are you?"_

_  
"Answer us, Izayoi-sama!"_

_  
Izayoi turned to where the voices were coming from, fear filled her heart. She turned back to the youkai, "I'll take my leave of you for now, to ward them off so you can rest in peace," she said, "But I'll return tomorrow,"_

_  
The youkai shook his head, "Do you not understand? I won't be here tomorrow, I despise humans, don't bother yourself," he spat, Izayoi rose to her feet, her smile unscathed by his rudeness, "I'll come anyway, just to make sure. Sayonara Inudaiyoukai-sama," she said and with that disappeared into the forest._

_  
The youkai stared at where she was, "Izayoi…" he whispered, he then shook his head, foolish human. He then turned to his left, someone was coming, someone very familiar._

_  
Wind whipped around him as a giant dog landed gracefully on the ground, within seconds it transformed into a beautiful youkai woman, her attire was very much like his own, only far more feminine, he looked up at her, "Mate," was all he said._

_  
She looked around at the area, "It reeks of human here, what happened?" she asked, not seeming to care if he was all right or not._

_  
The youkai quickly concealed the bandage on his arm, "A human girl was here, I did not want to travel farther so I scared her off to rest under this tree," he said. The woman just shrugged and walked around him, "Well I see your battle against Orochimaru was victorious," she pointed at the blood on his feet, she could smell the snake's death on him as well, the youkai nodded, "I can smell a bite on you. However did he manage that?" she asked, the youkai just shrugged, "I was not paying attention, that's all," he said bluntly. The woman turned, "Well get up before another youkai comes along and finishes you off," she says more to the wind than her own mate. The youkai rose to his feet, "Is that all?" he asked, sensing news from her. The youkai onna did indeed have something else to say, "No," she stared, picking at a flower, "Our son is returning soon,"_

_The youkai's attention was fully on her now, "His training in the mountains is over?" he asked, amazed that it had only been 20 years as opposed to the 45 it took himself._

"He was proud of him for that," Myoga commented on the side, it was safe to say everyone was fully engrossed by the story at this point.

"So he was still with Sesshomaru's mother?" Miroku asked, the flea shook his little head, "Yes and No, but I'll get to that later,"

As Myoga continued to spin his story, he (along with the rest of the group) failed to realize another stranger was among them.

_  
He kneeled, concealed in the trees, downwind from where his bothersome brother sat, pointed ears listening to the story._

_She nodded, "He wishes to fight an array of demons, the most powerful of this land, yourself included," she said, glancing sideways at him._

_The youkai merely shrugged, "If death suits him, I'd hate to lose my sole heir, however I'll gladly send him to hell," as much as his heart yearned for his son, he was The Daiyoukai of the Western Lands first and foremost, no one, not even his own son would challenge that._

_"You may not get that chance," she said, the youkai looked up at her his eyes inquiring her words, "He wishes to challenge Mizumaru,"_

_"Easy enough," the daiyoukai commented, he already knew what she was going to ask. The woman was coming to him for protection; Mizumaru didn't faze him in the least._

_"And Ryukutsusei," she added, at this name the youkai fell silent, his long time rival, the only great beast in the western lands he hadn't killed, a treaty was made between the two, Ryukutsusei would definitely be a problem. "All right, when does our son return?" he asked._

_In the distance the howl of a wolf youkai sounded out, a seductive smirk graced the demoness' face, "Our son returns in two full moons," she said, gazing to the north, "I must be off, mate," she added before taking off in the direction of the howl. Inutaisho shook his head. A few minutes later, the poison wore off enough for him to rise to his feet._

_(Back at the House of Tenshimaru)_

_"I can't believe you took off like that!" Izayoi kept her head down as Yukiko reined a flood of reprimandations on her, "Everyone in the palace has been searching everywhere, we thought you'd been kidnapped!"_

_"I'm sorry, everyone," she said to the group in front of her, "I didn't mean to worry you all, I thank you for your concern,"_

_The group's anger immediately dissipated at her words, one could never stay mad at Izayoi for long, her wonderfully kind disposition hardly warranted such an emotion._

_Everyone broke apart to finish their chores, save Yukiko who was still very angry, "You really frightened them, Izayoi," she said, "Takemaru the most,"_

_Izayoi's head shot up as the mention of his name, "He's back?" she asked. Takemaru had been away on business. Yukiko smiled in spite of her anger and nodded, "You're expected in the dining hall,"_

_Izayoi ran past her friend and was about to swing the door open to leave when Yukiko pulled her back, "Excuse me, you can't go out there like that! You're kimono is ripped!"_

_Izayoi looked down at the tattered hem of her yukata, 'When had…?' she'd nearly forgotten why she was in such a state, her thoughts raced back to the __incident with the inu youkai, her hands on his warm skin, that evil face flinching in childish pain as she cared for his wound. A smile, accompanied with a blush graced her face._

_Yukiko caught it, "Izayoi-sama, what exactly happened in the forest?" she inquired with a skeptical tone. Izayoi looked at her friend, there was no way she would ever understand, "Nothing," she muttered and went to her quarters to change._

_************************_

A loud, phlemy yawn shattered the trance that the story had created. Everyone watched as Myoga stretched his back and rubbed an eye, "My, I didn't realize it bad become so late," he wheezed. The rest of the group shook off the spell, realizing for the first time as well just how tired they all were.

Kagome looked down at the sleeping kitsune in her lap, poor Shippo had fallen asleep 3 minutes in. She lifted his small form into her arms and walked over to AhUn, where Jakken and Rin were snoring away.

Making sure not to disturb them, she laid the small youkai between Sesshomaru's (a.k.a love of my life and father of my children willing or otherwise) ward and servant and covered all of them with a blanket, "We probably need to call it a night, guys, the rest of the story can wait until tomorrow," she whispered. The adults nodded sleepily and made their way to their respective sleeping places.

_He was not tired, but would retreat for the moment and return the next day._

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So what do you guys think. I came across the concept and had the full overhead of the story on paper in an hour. I think it's cool and hope you do as well. Let me know by reading and reviewing. ^-^


	2. Chapter 2

**Ah! How could this story get away from me? Damn it all to hell! Sorry for the long wait on this story, other deadlines had be in a whirlwind. Meh. Anywhoo, here's the next chapter to this particular fic.**

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Chapter 2: Come Morning

Come morning, Myoga was once again the center of attention.

_The northern expanse of the House of Tenchimaru had (in recent years) been re-constructed into a massive meeting hall. Tall scarlet marble pillars made up the legs of the immense room. On the paper walls were a depiction of the Tenshimaru clan's origins as well as their rise to power. Currently, the inner square was lined with tables full of the finest Japanese dishes and occupied by lords and ladies from every region in the western territory. At the head of these tables sat a kind man of 48 by the name of Tsukasa, his wife Michiru was at his side._

_"The Lady Izayoi!" one of the wards hailed the entrance of Izayoi, now clad in a red, silk kimono with gold accents. Respectfully, she kept her head straight forward, but out of the corner of her eyes she was searching for him._

_"My daughter!" a deep, kind voice filled her ears as strong arms pulled the small girl to a tight embrace, she glanced over at Takemaru and smiled at him, a wink from his eye shower her he returned the happiness of seeing her._

_Lord Tsukasa released his grip and turned to the congregation, "Many of you know of the good news, but for those of you who do not, I proudly announce the marriage of my daughter, Izayoi of Tenshimaru to my dear friend and captain Takemaru of Setsuna!"_

_Izayou blushed as their guests erupted in a chorus of jubilation. Lord Tsukasa moved and allowed Takemaru to take his place by Izayoi's side, as his hand grabbed hers, something strange happened. Izayoi turned and gazed into his eyes and was met with a feeling, a strange feeling from deep within the pit of her stomach, for a fleeting moment she wondered if she was doing the right thing, 'Where did that come from, of course I do! I love this man,' she said to herself. All of a sudden, the face of the youkai was before her, her face fell._

_"Are you all right?" Takemaru asked, concerned. Izayoi shook it off and laughed, "I-I'm fine, I've just had a tiring day."_

_Takemaru seemed to buy the farce and looked away as someone called to him. Izayoi held on to his hand, fighting the new sensation in her chest._

"She was already falling for Inu-papa," Kagome piped up, the group turned to her, especially Inuyasha, who didn't seem to take kindly to her calling his father "Inu-papa."

Little did he know the person in the trees shared the same sentiment.

"Such insight!" Myoga leaned forward, "How did you know?" he asked.

Kagome's eyes widened, she didn't think she was talking aloud, the girl's face sported a furious shade of red, she wasn't about to tell them it was because she knew how Izayoi felt!

"N-no reason!" she half-yelled, "Can we continue?"

Everyone turned back to Myoga, save Inuyasha, who stared at her a little longer. Kagome shot him a scary "turn around or I'll sit you to the center of the earth!" look, forcing the traumatized hanyou to turn away.

_Lady Izayoi returned to the area the next day…_

_'I shouldn't be here,' was all she could tell herself over and over again. Izayoi made her way through low hanging vines and brambling bushes to where she saw him last, 'He doesn't want you there, associating with this youkai will only bring disaster!' her logical side screamed for the girl to listen, but she carried on._

_Oblivious to the stranger trailing close behind._

* * *

_Her face fell as she scanned the empty area the youkai had occupied only a day ago, "I guess he was fine all along," she said aloud, a smile soon graced her lips, "I'm glad," she said to herself. How she would have loved to speak to him again, but supposed it was just as good that he wasn't there, she took it as him healing well and taking off._

_Sweat trailing down the back of her neck brought Izayoi around, she wiped at it and frowned, "My goodness, its hot today," she said, realizing for the first time in the 2 hours she'd been in the sun just how hot it was. The lady retreated back into the sanctuary of shade that was the forest and decided to trek towards the center to the lake, she'd made this trip frequently and could probably do it blindfolded, with little effort she got to the lake and stripped down to her basic under-kimono. Looking around to make sure she was alone, Izayoi stepped out of the privacy of the bush and made her way to the water's edge. She dipped a foot in to test it, the water was a bit cool, but the sun would cancel that out. She made her way in slowly, allowing her small form to adjust. When she got in waist deep, she decided she was adjusted enough and plunged in._

_The lake became still in the 3 minutes of her absence, only to be disrupted by her surfacing form. Izayoi floated on her back, allowing time and space to fade away. Her eyes were closed as her mind drifted back to that night. She loved Takemaru, that was a given, but that feeling, why? Why this far into their engagement should she feel such a way, 'Maybe it was the shock of seeing him after a long time,' she contemplated._

_The girl drifted to a part of the lake that was concealed by a Weeping Willow, her body pushed at the long branches, giggling as some of the leaves ticked her sides._

_'Fear and uncertainty and a simple emotion before one gets married,' she thought, or so her friend Yuuki had told her. Izayoi tried with all her might to settle her nervousness to something so commonplace, yet it still would not yield._

_Her eyes opened when she sensed she was not alone and was thusly correct._

_In the branches above her stood the Daiyoukai she'd nursed only a day ago, his eyes scanned her face with a strong glare. Izayoi screamed and dipped her body under the water, her arms folding tightly across her chest _(white under kimono when it's wet? Probably reeeealy see-through), _"Ecchi!" she shouted at him._

_The dog demon's eyes widened, no one would ever dare call him such a lowly name! Who exactly was this girl who felt she was so high and mighty? And why did she feel no fear when in his presence? Did she have a secret weapon in her midst?_

_So engrossed at this girl's lack of fear was this youkai that he actually did not see the rock flying straight at him and hit him square in the face. With a grunt his head reeled back in a most comedic manner. He grabbed his assaulted forehead and bared his fangs at the insubordinate woman below him, "What did I do?" he roared, only to be answered by another, larger rock._

_"How dare you peep on a lady when she'd obviously in inappropriate attire, you claim to be a daiyoukai, you should at least have the manners of one!" she yelled. Inutaisho dodged the shower of rocks that accompanied her reprimand; he jumped to a branch that was lower and more covered by leaves, "Putrid ningen! I would never lower myself to partake of that corpse of yours even if you offered!" he spat._

"Inuyasha's mother in a sheer under kimono…I think that would be worth a rock or two to the fa-," Miroku's lecherous remark was cut short by Sango and Inuyasha's fist as they reached back and assaulted the tactless man.

_"Well, can you please allow me a bit of privacy so that I may dress?" she asked, a little hurt from his words._

_The daiyoukai was not in a good mood, he was hardly the kind of person to put up with such insubordination, and truly found himself wondering why he hadn't killed her yet. She was a pain and a liability; she knew him and sought him out, running the risk of bringing other ningens with her. This woman's death would produce more good things than her life. Inutaishio's hand gripped the handle of his Sounga, 'Just one swipe and she would be obliterated,' he reasoned._

_Izayoi watched him with baited breath, "Well?" she asked._

_The daiyoukai did not kill her with a single sweep of his massive fang-blade, the daiyoukai did not threaten her at sword point, he didn't even turn into his true form as a large canine and devoured her. He simply relaxed his grip on the Tetsusaiga and jumped down, turning away to allow the lady privacy._

_He turned with a look that said, 'Why do I have to put up with this' and waited for her assurance to look._

_Halfway through the rustling that was Izayoi dawning her clothes, a horrible ripping sound filled the air, followed by Izayoi's gasp and a mutter that he heard clearly as "Damn!"_

_"Something wrong?" he asked with deep sarcasm, Izayoi was silent for a long time, "Yes…yes…my…m-my…"_

_The daiyoukai became impatient with the girl and turned around, "Will you just-?"_

_He stopped midsentence as his eyes took in the sight before him._

_Izayoi was holding a ripped obi in her hands, the pale rice pallet that was her usual skin tone was now a beet red, his eyes quickly shot past the obi to the naked flesh that had hap-hazardly been revealed to him, her kimono had fallen open, reveling a breast and part of her taught stomach._

_Izayoi finally caught on to what he was looking at and immediately dropped the ruined obi to cover herself, "S-sorry…" she muttered, hoping he didn't think she'd done that on purpose._

_Inutaisho shook himself out of it and turned away, "There's nothing to apologize for," he said, more to the tree behind him than her, the daiyoukai reached down and pulled a sash from his own person, a gold one with intricate red designs._

_"Oh, n-no, I couldn't possibly-," she started, but the daiyoukai gave her a look that said if she didn't take it he would tie the sash around her himself and so Izayoi reluctantly accepted it. The sash was of the highest quality; anyone could tell that, "Will you be o.k?" she asked. Inutaisho just shrugged, "It's sole purpose was to hold up my sword, Tetsusaiga, and since that sword is currently undergoing repair, I've little need for it."_

"Why was the Tetsusaiga undergoing repair?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome answered for Myoga, "Don't you remember? A fragment had come off and he used it to make the Tensaiga."

"Ah, that's right…" was the hanyou's response.

"Baka," Kagome muttered.

_He waited for Izayoi to finish dressing and turned, the sash didn't match the rest of her kimono all too well and was improper due to it being for a male, but it served its purpose._

_Izayoi stared at Inutaisho as he looked at her attire, "Do I look silly?" she asked, the youkai shook his head, "You do not," he said. The kindness that he showed her made the girl feel bad about the assault she'd lain on him earlier, "I…I hope I did not hurt you too bad, with the rocks I mean,"_

_Inutaisho just snorted, "Ningen, never mistake a youkai's resilience to battle wounds,"_

_"That aside, it's not wise to make a habit out of peeping," she said innocently._

_"I was not peeping!" Inutaisho yelled, he caught himself and was surprised at this side of him that the ningen brought out. It was brash and immature, things he truly was not, "I've no interest of any sort in humans, do not mistake that,"_

_"Well, I suppose that's fine then. Now sit," she ordered._

_The daiyoukai's eyes narrowed, "Excuse me? Have you forgotten whom you're speaking to?" he asked, offended._

_Izayoi caught herself as well; she was not the bossy kind and was rarely rude, "I'm sorry, you are right. Please, daiyoukai-sama, sit so I may check your wound," her voice was like night and day, softening and higher in intellect as well as tone._

_Inutaisho did as she instructed and watched the ningen busy herself with cleaning his wound, which because of his youkai blood was already healed, 'You knew too, you knew your would healed. Why are you letting this human touch you?' he asked himself._

_Inutaisho shook it off as curiosity. When you lived as long as he did, there were not too many things in this earth that surprised you. However the human deemed Izayoi was not like ones he'd met in the past, and so he studied her. When he figured her out, he would take his leave of her; maybe even kill her; that was for the moment debatable._

_Izayoi checked the wounds, which were now nothing more than odd discolorations on the youkai's skin. "If I may ask, why were you battling this youkai?" she asked._

_"Territory." His answer was sharp, without any tone of hesitation, "Orochimaru wanted to expand his land onto mine. Youkai do not barter the way you humans do, we fight, the victor's prize is all the land that was left behind,"_

_"So his land is now your land?" she asked._

_Inutaisho nodded, "It's hardly a prize, so infinitesimal compared to what I already own- this land we stand upon is mine, encompassing most of the Western Lands,"_

_"The land on which the House of Tenchimaru resides? It sits 2 miles north of where we stand."_

_"Mine as well, you see, humans-,"_

_"Call the land their own, however it truly belongs to the youkai guardian. They care for the land, protect it. They live longer than humans, far more than a derisory 100 years. Therefore it is only right to call the land theirs," Izayoi brought her hand to her mouth, her eyebrows furrowing with embarrassment; she didn't mean to interrupt the youkai._

_He cocked his head, "You know much about youkai, how is this possible?"_

Izayoi fought a blush, "I...I've always been fascinated by them. Such interesting beings, youkai are. I read about them and study them along with my herbs and medicines. You, however are the first one I have spoken to,"

_Inutaisho opened his mouth to say something, but voices in the darkness of the forest hailed the arrival of a search party._

_"Lady Izayoi!"_

_"My lady, are you out there?"_

_"Izayoi-sama!"_

_Izayoi's eyes furrowed with fear, "I-I'm sorry, I did not know they were looking for me again,"_

_Inutaisho looked at her through wide eyes, he was not angry with her. She was the Lady of the house, of course her servants would be concerned at her prolonged absence._

_Izayoi ran towards the voices, before she disappeared into the thick foliage she turned back to the daiyoukai, "It was nice to see you again, and I am glad you are all right,"_

_"Why?"_

_His question stopped her from proceeding, "I'm sorry?"_

_"Why does my well being bring you happiness?" he asked, no one ever gained anything from his health, she would not either, so why care?_

_Izayoi smiled a gentle, almost loving smile that shook the daiyoukai to his core, "It's what we do, ningens. We may not be the strongest, fastest, or most intelligent race, but we care about one another, we watch out for one another," she turned and started into the forest, "Sayonara, Inudaiyoukai-sama,"_

_"...Inutaisho,"_

_She stopped again and looked at him. His eyes were stern, "It is too bothersome to call me "Inudayoukai-sama", my name is Inutaisho."_

_"Inutaisho-sama," saying the name seemed to give her some kind of pleasure that he did not understand. But something about the way she said it made him feel…odd._

_The lady left and with her departure came a horrible feeling in the youkai's chest. He pressed his hand to the left breast of his armor. What was this feeling? The best way to describe it was that he was not pleased by her departure; he was displeased that the ningen was not before him anymore._

_"I do not understand you, ningen."_

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**There we go, I feel so much better now that this chapter is up, please read and review ^-^**


	3. Chapter 3

_"Are you going to be making this a habit of yours?" It was not Yuuki, but Michiru-sama, Izayoi's own mother who led the beratement this session._

_Izayoi was having a harder time paying attention than the last time she got in trouble, her thoughts were currently the property of Inuytaisho's last sentence._

_'He told me his name…Inutaisho…' she laughed out loud._

_"Do you find our worry and strife humorous, Izayoi?" Her mother's sharp words brought Izayoi back. The heiress fingered the hem of her kimono sleeve, "I do not, your well being is very important to me and I certainly don't want to be the one to compromise that. I simply want more freedom around the grounds, that is all,"_

_Michiru sighed, "My most precious child, you are so very young. It is unwise to go gallivanting alone, who knows what kind of youkai lurk within the darkness?"_

_'I do…' she countered mentally._

* * *

_He dragged the point of his sword Sounga along the ground, watching the immaculate silver singe the dirt as it scarred its immobile victim. Tracing along the contours of the tree roots, down the embankment to where the discarded silk that was Izayoi's forgotten obi lay._

_He dug the blade underneath the cloth and lifted it into the air, his mind filling with the smile Izayoi gave him before she departed an hour ago._

_"Inutaisho…"_

_"Damn it!" he cringed, and allowed the dragons within Sounga to shred the obi to a tattered mess of scraps._

_"What am I doing? Allowing that human to live, let alone stay within my sights." He growled._

_'**She is trying to bewitch you, Inuyaisho-sama…**' a gurgled voice pulsated from his hand and up his arm to his head; it was the telekinetic link between him and the cursed sword Sounga. His hand burned with the weapons evil, but he bore it. He was the only who could._

_"Sounga, is that what you think?" he asked within his own mind._

_'**Kill her and be done with it, my master**,' he said, '**you felt it yourself, the ningen will only bring problems. She's an enchantress, already she is making you feel things you are not accustomed to. She will destroy you if you let it continue**,'_

_"I feel nothing I do not wish to Sounga, you would do well not to forget that," It wasn't that the youkai wanted to believe the sword was lying; it was simply that he did not trust Sounga. The sword wanted to possess his body and fought him for it every chance he got._

"So why did he keep it?" Kagome asked, "Why did he keep a weapon he didn't trust?"

"It was supposed to be a gift for Sesshomaru, but the pure evil within the sword proved too powerful an adversary and the way Sesshomaru was, it would have consumed him. Inutaisho did not want that." Myoga answered.

'_That should have been my choice,'_

"Don't you think Sesshomaru would have crossed that bridge when he came up to it?" Kagome asked, once again earning a glare from a jealous hanyou.

"Do not think that it is that easy to get rid of Sounga. The Great Dog Demon was able to control the evil within Sounga and use it, but he could not discard it- even if he wanted to. Had it come into Sesshomaru's hands, all would have been lost and Inutaisho would have no other alternative but to dispatch his own son,"

"I got rid of it," Inuyasha said, semi-bragging. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I mean no offense, my lord, but the only reason you were able to cast Sounga from your body was because of Kagome's powers. Sounga is vulnerable to a miko's light."

"Which manifests itself into the Beads of Subjugation, right?" Kagome asked, sticking her tongue out at Inuyasha. The hanyou growled at her.

_'**Then why are you so frustrated, my lord**?' Sounga asked. Inutaisho grew tired of the demon sword and sheathed it, silencing it for the moment. He turned and started into the forest, "Ridiculous,"_

_"Lady Michiru!" The conversation between mother and daughter was disrupted by a frantic servant, an old man who had served them well for many years. His face was pale and he was clearly shaken up. Michiru rose from where she was sitting, as did Izayoi._

_"L-ord Tsukasa and Lord Takemaru wish to speak to you both, it is of utmost importance,"_

_The two ladies of the house did not hesitate and were at the meeting chambers within moments._

_Lady Izayoi waited for the servant to announce her to enter. It had been years since she'd been in this particular chamber; however the room was as massive and foreboding as she remembered it. It was more like a library than a meeting chamber, cases of scrolls covered the walls broken every so often by trophies of battles won in the past. A massive black marble table stood in the center and at either sides of this table sat Tsukasa and Takemaru._

_Mirchiru approached them first, "You called for me, my husband?"_

_Tsukasa motioned for her to come to his side. He had an almost unrecognizable look on his face, nearly unrecognizable for it was not one that he wore often. However when he did Michiru knew and with that knowledge came the dread and fear that she in her 40 years had not come accustomed to._

_War._

_"Bad news. A group of renegade bandits have surfaced on the outskirts of our land. We've just received news that they've been pillaging village after village, consuming everything in their path. Our people have asked for our help in subduing these monsters."_

_"We haven't much time, as we speak the troops are rallying to depart in two days." He then grew silent as he turned to Takemaru and Izayoi, "It is with a deep regret that I announce the post-poning of your wedding."_

_"I understand Chichi-ue," Izayoi said, she turned and caught a look in her mother's eye that said she wanted to be alone with her husband. Izayoi motioned to Takemaru._

_Rising, Takemaru bowed, "May I request from my honorable Lord a moment alone with Izayoi-sama?" he asked._

_Tsukasa nodded, "Granted my son, but only for a moment. We've much to do," he warned._

_"I will not keep him long," Izayoi said._

_The two departed from the room and made their way to the garden. No sooner were they out of sight did Takemaru act._

_Takemaru pulled Izayoi to him and enclosed her small body in his arms. Izayoi never realized before just how strong his grip was, she could feel the desire he held to stay by her side, and for a moment prayed it would wash away the hesitation that screamed from deep within her heart. Takemaru nuzzled the top of her head with his chin, "I hate that this will prolong our wedding,"_

_The young girl remained silent, what could be said? 'I don't hate it at all? In fact I'm glad I have more time?'_

_She would break him._

_"The people need you, Takemaru," she said when she realized how silent she became; "It is your duty as one who is blessed with many to help those blessed with few. Give them a safe world Takemaru, a time of peace in which they can flourish. A wedding will happen soon enough,"_

_He pulled away to look down at her, "When did you become so wise?" he asked teasingly._

_Izayoi smirked, "I am not the bumbling 9-year-old you departed with all those years ago, Taki-chan,"_

_Takemaru frowned at the juvenile nickname she bestowed unto to him in their childhood, causing Izayoi to stifle a giggle._

"So they had a bit of history together, huh?" Kagome asked.

"As I understand it, the House of Tenchimaru and the House of Setsuna were only a few miles apart. The families were good friends and visited one another frequently until Takemaru's father passed away. Takemaru as the eldest child then had to step up as the lord of the castle and was not as able to visit as often."

"How romantic," Sango breathed, "I know!" Kagome agreed. The two girls began chatting excitedly when Myoga asked to be able to press on.

"Sorry, go ahead," Kagome said.

"I assure you, Miss Kagome, that this is where it gets good. Ahem!"

_Takemaru was called and departed soon after the conversation, leaving Izayoi with a feeling deep within her heart that she understood and didn't understand all at the same time; relief._

A sound broke through Myoga's story, starling everyone in the group. Turning, they looked in perfect unison to Inuyasha. The hanyou rubbed his stomach, "Do you think we could stop for a moment? I'm starving." He said. Kagome smiled and turned to the group, "Anyone else hungry?"

"I am." Shippo piped in.

"I could eat," Miroku stated.

"Yes, please," Rin said, nudging Jakken. The toad crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest, "I wouldn't eat your food if you-,"

**GGGGGGGRRRRRRLLLLLLlll**

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."Kagome said.

Kagome and Sango made their way to the yellow backpack to start a meal. As soon as they got everything underway she made her way over to Inuyasha.

"Intersting story, huh?" she asked.

Inuyasha just shrugged, "Guess so."

"You guess so? You're not the least bit interested by all of this stuff?" Kagome asked.

"It never really bothered me not knowing how my mother and old man got together."

Kagome couldn't hide the frown of disapoinment, but tacked it up to his personality. Inuyasha was never the type to sit down for long periods of time, especially to hear a love story. He just didn't want to come off as too eager to know the secrets of his birth.

'Damn him. Damn him to hell,' Sesshomaru cursed, this story had confirmed the daiyoukai's suspicions. His father had no confidence in Sesshomaru's powers. 'Even if this Sesshomaru died in battle would that not be an honorable way to do so? Was he so fearful of the disgrace a weak son's death would bring to his stark reputation that he would cowardly fix the outcome of my conquest.

The tree nearest to Sesshomaru would bear the scar of his fist as he punched through it.

"I dispise you father, with all that I am I dispise you..."

* * *

**Whoo! Getting a little spicy there, huh? Of course we, the readers, know that Sess is wrong, but will he ever realize that? Stay turned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here you go! A new chapter! Yay! Things get spicy in the next chapter, I promised sexy time in my summary and sexy time I will deliver!**

_

* * *

_

The group congregated again for the next chapter in this rather remarkable story (Just like you guys! ^-^). Sesshomaru, though still hiding decided to return as well.

_When she departed the next day, she honestly did not expect to see him there. The youkai was for the most part healed and it's rare that one stays in the same place for too long._

_Izayoi went into the shade of the same Willow she was at the previous day. Using a bent branch as a rough chair, she sat and closed her eyes letting her hair get ruffled by the tree's bark as her head pressed against it. 'Where did this change happen? When did my 100% assurity dissolve into a regret and hesitation? It's there, it's there and it won't go away, that much I cannot deny anymore…Takemaru…'_

"_Your face will freeze that way, or so I've heard,"_

_Izayoi opened one eye to find the youkai she'd nursed only two days ago sitting right by her, his eyes boring into hers. The poor girl screamed and fell off of the branch in surprise. Instinctively, her hand shot out and caught his sleeve, pulling the unprepared youkai with her. The two landed with a dusty thud on the forest floor, Inutaisho on top of Izayoi._

_She coughed as the dust agitated her lungs; the youkai's form was not on her for very long. By the time her eyes cleared from the dirt that had invaded them Inutaisho was already back on his feet, however his face was turned away in an attempt to hide an impromptu blush. _

_Izayoi rose, "Are you o.k.?" she asked through a stifled smile._

"_Yes," he answered, still looking away. Izayoi walked around him to look him in the eye, "I'm sorry for making you fall," that statement wasn't 100% true, she simply used it as an excuse to see him blushing._

_The blush had already faded however, and Inutaisho was prepped with a question, "Tell me, why did you look like that right now?" _

_Izayoi's smile faltered a little as she remembered the reason she came to where she was now standing, "Oh…that…wait…why are you still here?" she asked._

"_Does my presence bother you?" he asked nonchalantly._

_Izayoi shook her head, "No, not at all, I just thought you would have moved on by now," she pointed at the jagged markings across his face, "You're element is air," she said._

"_It is," he replied, waiting for her to make her point._

"_Air youkai are very restless, if I'm not mistaken. It is rare that they stay in one place for too long. I felt that if you were healed, the restless spirit within you would have pushed for new horizons; that is all," she smiled and sat down on the branch she'd just fallen from._

"_I will admit I am impressed by your knowledge, but will not be swayed from my initial inquiry."_

"_Excuse me?" she asked with true curiosity._

"_Your face, it was troubled, why?" he asked again._

_Izayoi smirked, she had forgotten and now she had to think about it again. She was silent for a moment, why did Inutaisho want to know so badly? That aside, why didn't she want to tell him?_

"_I'll be marrying soon," the answer came out of her before she could stop it._

_Something in Inutaisho changed, he felt as though a rock fell from his chest to his stomach, 'Is it because this girl has told me she's to wed?' he wondered._

"_You are unhappy with this?" he asked._

"_Not…unhappy per se, I love the man I'm going to marry…or at least I thought I did…" she didn't want to look at Inutaisho at that moment, not for fear of seeing him hurt, but of fear of seeing him all right with it. That in and of itself disturbed her. _

"_You are unsure," he reiterated. She nodded._

"_Then do not marry him, how is that so difficult?" he answered. _

"_But it is difficult. Everyone knows of our engagement, to cancel now would be to humiliate not only him, but my father and my people," she brought her knees to her chest and sighed._

"_So you're to sacrifice your happiness for another? Rediculous," Inutaisho asked, he was surprised at himself, why was he pressing so many questions. This issue was utterly nonsensical and he was wasting his time, yet despite his logic, he stayed. _

_Izayoi turned to him, armed with a dangerous question. Not because of his reaction to it, but of what the answer might and probably would be, "And what of you? Have you ever loved someone?" _

_Inutaisho "I have a mate and a son from her."_

_Izayoi's heart sank farther than it ever had before, Inutaisho already had someone in his life, she smirked and turned away from him, 'Of course he would, baka, he's a good 800 years old, do you honestly think he wouldn't have taken a mate in that time?' she scoffed at her naivety._

_Inutaisho continued, "However our situations are incomparable, love has no weight in demon courtship. My mate is a powerful demoness; the strongest in the Western Lands, a child would and has thrived between the two of us,"_

"_How long has she been by your side?" Izayoi asked._

"_Over 500 years," he answered._

"_And in that time you have held no feelings for her?" she asked._

"_Love is a fickle emotion and brings its bearer nothing but disaster. Not that a youkai is at any disposition to feel such feeling in the first place. I could not "love" my mate any more than I could love a ningen,"_

_A stab of pain hit Izayoi square in the chest. It was stupid but she felt a slight amount for rejection from his words, more that that however she felt saddened by Inutaisho and began to wonder if he would ever understand. Emotions created from all the information he'd given her mixed with the ones created prior resulted in anger. Rising, Izayoi spun around, "Life without love is no life at all. It is a force so powerful that it pulls people from the brink of death," she stated._

"_You honestly believe that ningen? Ridiculous, strength is the only power I require."_

"_Love is more powerful than anything you could ever acquire."_

"_And how are you so sure of his?" Inutaisho asked, his smile was cocky and it infuriated her. _

"_When you have someone you love, your power increases ten-fold, will you not understand that?" she pleaded._

_Inutaisho rose to his feet as well, towering over, "I understand what wish to understand and love as a power is not one of them. It is you who should open your eyes Izayoi, love will entrap you if you allow it,"_

_Izaiyoi kept her head down for a moment, her little body shaking with anger. Finally she lifted her teary gaze and looked him straight in the eyes, "I pity your cold heart and will not return." She then turned and left._

_Inutaisho watched her leave, "Fool," he said. The Daiyoukai began to walk away as well, but another new feeling filled his feet and held him to the place at which he stood. He felt…angry…angry at himself. The way he made Izayoi look moments before, why did he do such a thing. 'Do I regret…hurting her?' he wondered._

_Izayoi had forced herself to stop crying, she didn't want to stop. She just didn't need any questions when she got home. Worse than not being able to cry however what the guilt_ _she felt over the way she treated Inutaisho. He was not a human and had been the way he was for almost a millennia. A short three days would not change him, she had to understand that, 'I let my emotions get in the way and was so cruel to him,' she wanted so badly to cry, but remained stoic._

"_Izayoi," a soft voice sounded from behind her as soon as she headed into the outer garden. The teen turned to see Yukiko stepping out of the bushes; her round face sported a look of deep concern. "Yukiko-chan? What are you doing here?"_

"_I should be asking you that. You've been disappearing a lot lately Izayoi-sama."_

_Izayoi turned, "I go off into the forest all the time Yukiko,"_

_Yukiko reached forward, placing a hand on Izayoi's shoulder and turning her friend to face her, "Not like this, Izayoi, not for full days. What are you doing up there?" she asked. Her eyes pleaded for the truth, but there was no way Izayoi could tell her._

_Izayoi grabbed the hand on her shoulder and held it, "Nothing you need to be worried about," she said as soothingly as possible._

"_Izayoi, please, don't go into the forest anymore. It's teeming with youkai, I don't want anything to happen to you," _

_Izayoi turned away from her, mainly to hide the pain in her eyes, "You've nothing to worry about, I won't be venturing into the forest anymore," she said._

_A tall, handsome man clad in battle attire interrupted the two girls, "Izayoi, might I speak with you?" he murmured. Izayoi left Yukiko's side and ventured into the second garden with Takemaru. Leaving her friend puzzled with by sadness._

_As soon as the two were alone, he pulled Izayoi to him. She froze as his arms enveloped her, her heart pounding in her chest, ""Y-you wanted to speak with me?" she asked. Takemaru laid a soft kiss on her cheek, "No, I just wish to spend some time alone with you," he whispered. Izayoi wanted to be able to melt into his arms, she wanted to kiss him and have no other thought in her head but him, but it just wouldn't be so. _

_As they sat together and recounted stories from their childhood, the wedding plans, and other things, Izayoi could not keep her mind clear of him. The tall, silver haired youkai seemed to surface and any little reminder. Their meeting, the conversations they had, the fight she'd just had with him. Izayoi's heart was telling her something, it wanted her to listen to what it had to say but her mind wouldn't let it._

_Izayoi was somewhat relieved when her father joined them, "Now now you two, there will be plenty of time for you to be alone after the battle. For now we're to feast!" he said with great jubilation._

_Like at the engagement ceremony, the House of Tenchimaru was filled with people. Soldiers from miles around came together, participating in the house's oldest tradition. _

"_A toast to our victory!" Tsukasa hailed. It had been custom to toast a victory before the war begun and had to this day been successful in the amount of luck it bestowed._

_The soldiers raised their glass and cheered for a victory. Music began and soon all the festivities were underway._

_Izayoi played the perfect hostess, accepting regrets of the post-poned wedding and well wishes for the marriage ahead. She went to each soldier and servant participating in the war, wishing them well and praying for their safe return._

_But try as she might, she could never get the youkai completely out of her head. Every little thing seemed to remind her of him and the argument they had. Finally it became too much and Izayoi had to sneak away._

_Slowly she made her way past the dancers and servants, through the crowded hallways and back out to the outermost garden. The area was silent and void of anyone, save a white dog at the entrance from the forest. Izayoi walked to the center of the garden to the pond with land running through it and sat on the rock bench underneath a sakura tree. Alone, she finally cried the tears she wanted to, the tears from a heart that yearned for someone it couldn't have._

_Something soft pressed against her hands, Izayoi opened her eyes to find herself face to face with the dog at the entrance. It was a rather remarkable creature soft, ice white fur fell in long locks down its body. Ocean green eyes stared up at her from their place on her lap, Izayoi ran her hand across the top of it's head and revealed to the dog her deepest secret, "This is no good Inu-sama…I've fallen in love with a youkai," she whispered with a sad smile._

_The dog's eyes widened at that moment and a cloud engulfed it. Izayoi pulled her hand back and watched as the dog stood and took on a new form. When the smoke subsided, the dog was gone and in its place stood none other than Inutaisho. Izayoi's face turned a deep red as she came to realize her confession. Rising, she stepped past him, wanting desperately to run away. Inutaisho grabbed her departing hand and pulled her back to him, "Why do you run from me?" he murmured. Izayoi refused to look at him; he probably thought she was a fool. A human thinking she was worthy of harboring feelings for a Daiyoukai, that was a laugh. _

_A clawed finger cupped her chin and raised her gaze to meet that of its master, "Were you lying?" he asked. Izayoi didn't care anymore, she confessed more than enough, she might as well tell him everything. Tears cascaded down her face defiantly, "I'm not lying, my heart is apprehensive whenever I am around Takemaru because of one thing and one thing alone. I'm in love with you, Inutaisho," she said, "I'm sure you think I'm being ridiculous, after all love is a stupid human emotion right?" she asked. Inutaisho's_ eyes _scanned her face, looking at each and every detail. "As rare as it is Izayoi…even a Daiyoukai can be wrong. I wonder…if the emotion is not so useless as I once thought," he let her go and turned away from her, he stepped away from her and seemed to be contemplating something. After a moment, he turned back to her, "There is a feeling, a warm feeling I get when you are around me, I have this…over powering drive to protect you," he admitted. Izayoi's eyes grew wide as he closed the distance between them, his body was so close to hers, mouths mere centimeters away from one another, "Have you bewitched me?" he asked. Izayoi shook her head, "No, that is your own heart you are feeling," she whispered._

"Do I really have to hear this?" Inuyasha complained, "Shhh!" Kagome hissed and turned back to Myoga.

_Inutaisho pulled her to him, his armor disappeared so that the two were closer than ever, "I want to be by your side. To protect you so bad I might break from the desire," he murmured into the top of her head, Izayoi snuggled against his body, relishing in his warmth, "And I wish to be with you."_

"His desire to be with Izayoi was probably what really affected the Daiyoukai's attitude towards ningens. Inutaisho-sama remained with Izayoi the last year of his life in his inu form. It may be speculation on my part, but through her, her interactions with the humans of her manor. The people were kind to him, as he re-counted to me before his death. I do not know if Izayoi-sama's words were true, bit I had noticed an increase in his power after he met her."

"They're true, mother's words, they're true," Inuyasha said, looking at Kagome. The miko blushed and turned back to Myoga.

"They were inseparable for 2 months. This much I know for I lived within the fur of Inutaisho-sama the last month. Each day the two grew closer and closer, Izayoi became strong through Inutaisho, and the Great Dog Demon grew compassionate through Izayoi, they-and I hate to sound ridiculous, completed one another."


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, I didn't expect this story to roll out as easily as it has been. CraaaaaazY! We've come to one of the more sensual part of the fic. The sexy time! whooo! I love the way the sex scene played out, very sensuous, but romantic and sweet. Next chapter is a time jump 3 months into the future, Inuyasha is on the way! Eeeeee ^-^**

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CHAPTER 5

_Izayoi lay on her bed. Her form was still, the expression that she wore was one of total and utter peace. Every so often her body shifted underneath the silk sheets, turning to re-adjust herself. However as she did this, subconsciously she was ever mindful of the form beside her. Her hand slipped out of the covers, reaching for the reassurance of his warm fur. With little effort she found it, digging her milky white digits into the silver locks of his back. Inutaisho moved his head from its resting place on his paw and replaced it on her knee, sighing. The time he had spent by Izayoi's side had been interesting to say the least, he'd become the household pet loved by all that resided in the house of Tenchimaru- imagine him, the Great and Terrible Lord of the Western Lands a puppy to all who cared for him. A few moons ago, he would die if he found himself in the state he was, not only a servant to the humans, but a babysitter, a guard dog. Further insult to his old self would be that he was doing all this for a mere human. Months ago he was a monster, a cruel lord who would rather cut off his own arm than care for anything other than himself. How much Izayoi had changed him._

_A howl pulled the youkai from his peaceful slumber; the youkai looked out the open window and straight at the moon._

_She__ was calling him. Sesshomaru was to return in one week._

_Rising, the youkai stepped off the bed and walked around his Izayoi to the door, praying his noisy claws didn't stir her from her slumber. He was about to take off when a small voice called to him, "Inutaisho?"_

_The white youkai turned to see Izayoi sitting up, her eyes were sleepy and confused._

_"Where are you going?" she asked, rubbing her eye on the corner of her sleeve, Inutaisho walked back over to her and placed his large head on her shoulder. He spoke, though his mouth made no movements, "I'm being summoned," he answered._

_Izayoi shot up, "Summoned? Where?" she asked._

_"My mate,"-_

"O.k. So they were still together?" Miroku asked.

"Not…not really," Myoga struggled, trying to figure out a way to explain it to the group, "Inu youkai can be monogamous if they do so desire, but seldom are. Inutaisho-sama never really put precedence on acquiring different mates, his priority had been securing his title and producing an heir, Sesshomaru. When he had his son, he allowed Sesshomaru's mother to acquire different mates if she desired- and believe me, she did."

"Then why did he refer to her as his mate to Izayoi?" he asked.

"Because she was, Izayoi understood that. Sesshomaru's mother is Inutaisho's mate and would be so until the end of time. His heart however belonged to Izayoi. He was with no other person than her and that was good enough for her,"

Kagome sighed, "Ah…lovers…"

"Yes, well anyway, Inutaisho was leaving…"

_"Is worried about our son. To become a full Daiyoukai, a youkai must defeat every youkai stronger than he. She's asked me to dispatch two daiyoukai that he has chosen to fight."_

_"They're very powerful, right?" she asked, Inutaisho nodded against her shoulder, "And you don't want to risk loosing Sesshomaru-sama," she concluded._

_"He is my only son," he admitted. "I'll return in 3 months," he said. Inutaisho could feel warm tears hitting his fur, "I don't want you to leave…" she sobbed silently, "But you have to go, ne?" she said._

_Inutaisho transformed into his human form and pulled Izayoi to him. He breathed in her scent, he would not be able to smell this scent for a while and didn't dare wish to forget it._

_Izayoi's heart weighed heavily with sorrow, she loved this demon with all her heart and really didn't want him to go, but she knew his son was precious to him and that that was a bond she couldn't, nor would she ever come between._

_Izayoi kissed him once with the intention of sending him off with just that._

_But one kiss turned into two, which turned into three._

_A surge of electricity ran down Inutaisho's spine as his lips met hers over and over again. They were so soft, but there was something different about them. Hunger emanated from each kiss, a desperate hunger for something more_.

_Something had taken over Izayoi's body, a need, a terrible need to be close to him. As though she was trying to compensate for the time distance would come between them. Her hands found the slice of fabric that led to his chest. Timidly her fingers parted the silk, tracing the warm, pulsating ripple of muscles. A low, guttural growl vibrated from Inutaisho as her fingertips danced down his stomach, lightly playing with the faint trail of silver hair that dissected his lower abdomen._

_Inutaisho was patient with this human, allowing the virginal goddess to explore the unknown territory that was man and her own slow pace. A part of him felt a tinge of concern over the act they were about to commence, mainly because he could smell her fertility. That pungent, aphrodesiatic aroma had been enticing him these past few days, drawing the animal within him out. It had been painstaking work to maintain control around her and right now she was at her peak. If he mated her tonight, without a shadow of a doubt a pup would be born._

_Izayoi pushed the loose fabric off of his shoulders and gazed at him, he was so sensuous in the moonlight, his six pack flexing as he breathed in and out. Amber eyes, glossed in lust gleamed at her through the black silhouette that concealed his face. His overall look was enticing and dangerous, she felt like a moth being drawn to a flame. She would and wanted to be devoured by his inferno._

_Inutaisho cupped her small chin and brought her lips to his, a long tongue lapped across her bottom lip, begging for access. Izayoi slowly complied, a blush spread across her lily cheeks as her mouth was penetrated for the first time. Inutaisho seduced the human's tongue, reveling in the sweetness it had to offer._

_Izayoi was loosing herself in his kiss, had she not been sitting, she legs would surely have buckled from the amount of pleasure and desire coursing through them. To regain herself, she broke the kiss and started a trail from the corner of his mouth, tracing a blazing line across his jawline, down his neck and stopping to lick the crevice that was his clavicle. The daiyokai had started on his own agenda, one that took the same direction of Izayoi's but had a different end point. Izayoi whimpered at each kiss as he copied her odyssey, a clawed hand made short work of her kimono and slid under the sheer nightgown to fondle the milky breast beneath it. He traced the rosy areola with his thumb, allowing the sharp point of the claw to lightly scrape her before running it over her erect nipple. Izayoi threw her head back and moaned his name into his ear. He wanted her in a stupor, needed her in a stupor, but he had no desire to deceive her, "Izayoi…" he murmured, "Do you trust me?"_

_The young girl gasped as the hand that caressed her breast further parted the kimono and traveled downward to the sacred Eden between her legs._

_The daiyokai's fingers parted the hot petals of her womanhood, instantaneously becoming doused in a sheet of her desire. He had to bite his lip to stay sane as the scent filled his nose. How desperately he wanted to take her right then and there, still he needed to know, "I need to know that you trust me. Trust that I'll never hurt you, that what I do is for your own good. Do you?" he murmured, stroking her sex with his middle finger._

_Izayoi could barely keep her eyes open, she clutched his shoulders and pressed her forehead against his chest panting heavily. He slipped a finger into the deepest part of her, earning a moan of sheer pleasure, "I…I," words struggled to come out of her mouth. Inutaisho slipped another finger into her teasing the elusive bundle of nerves on her inner walls, rubbing the sweet bud with his thumb. His digits sped up their pace, aided by her luscious lubricant. "Tell me," he pressed. Izayoi bit her lower lip and erratically nodded her head, her toes were curling, hailing the arrival of something huge within her, "I need to hear it," he said, Izaiyo willed her throat to stop moaning long enough to create a sentence, her body tightened around his hand, she threw her head back and screamed, "I TRUST YOU!"_

_Inutaisho roared and pierced his fangs into the base of her neck, biting down with all of his might. Izayoi's body froze as her heart stopped then restarted. Something began to surge in her veins, something powerful. She fell to the bed, panting._

_Inutaisho reached for Izayoi's hand and pulled her lust drunk body to his own, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her fervently. He was like a master to her, composing a beautiful symphony with his body. He never fumbled, or rushed through the motions, though his eyes were a window of feral lust. He was always in check, trained, skilled._

_"There will be a time...in which you shall know the reason for what I have just done, but it is not now," his voice was soft against her ear, gently pulling her senses back from the brink. Izayoi nodded to show him she understood. Removing the last of his own clothing; he laid his virgin down on the bed, parting the sweaty raven bangs from her face. Izayoi smiled at him as he positioned himself between her legs, his hands ran down her thighs to her hips, steadying the small woman for his imminent insertion._

_With a thrust, the full length of his member pushed past her seal. Izayoi winced as something within her was torn apart; she kept herself from crying out and shifted to accommodate him. She didn't know men, but had a suspicion that Inutaisho was a lot larger than what was considered average._

_Inutaisho groaned as her inner walls wrapped around him, how long it had been since he felt this sensation and how sweeter it was that it was someone he loved. He waited for her body to relax from the pain his sex caused her, lamenting slightly that he had to hurt her at all before moving out and pushing back in. Izayoi moaned as each thrust erased the pain and sowed pleasure in its wake. Her hands slid upwards, untying the ribbon that held his hair in place, it spilled about the youkai's shoulders, falling onto her breasts. Inutaisho moved his locks out of the way, even his own hair would not obscure the vision of his Izayoi, his human lover that gazed up at him so lovingly. Izayoi wrapped her arms around his neck, her body rose, creating a perfect arch against him. The daiyoukai buried his head into her tresses, inhaling her sweet scent as his member penentrated her again and again. After only a few moments Izayoi whimpered as her body tightened around him, stimulated to the point of orgasm. He slowed down to allow her to come back from her stupor, then gently turned her over, pulled her small sweaty body against his own and sped up. Izayoi reached up, wrapping an arm around his neck to steady herself as his thrusts melted into pounds against her womanhood. Her head tilted backwards to catch his mouth as the world spun out of control, the thrum of their throats collided as they both climaxed against one another._

_Inutaisho lowered Izayoi to the bed and covered her body with a silk sheet. Her eyes fough to stay open and with good reason, he exhausted her._

_"Return to me safely Inutaisho, I beg of you," she whispered. The Great and Terrible Lord of the Western lands grabbed her hand, kissing it tenderly. Then something happened, a tear formed at the corner of his eye, growing and sliding down his sharp cheek, "I will not break your heart by making a promise I can not keep, but know that I love you Izayoi, more than anything in this world I love you. You gave me a heart, and I will never forget that."_

_She sat up and kissed him deeply, knowing that when she awoke the next morning, he would be long gone._

The inu-gang was deathly silent, "I think I'm going to be sick..." Inuyasha gagged, rushing to the nearest bush. Kagome was grateful the children decided to go play at this point in time and wondered wholeheartedly why Myoga had to get so graphic. She also couldn't help but envy Izayoi, to see her feral dog demon in such a way, to join with the one she loved so deeply and intimately.

"Wow…" Miroku said, "I've much to learn."

"How…romantic…" Sango sighed. Miroku slithered up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist, "I agree, do you not think it a beautiful idea to pay homage to their joining by consummating our love?" he murmured into her ear.

Sesshomaru leapt out of the tree that Sango threw Miroku in as the tall plant came crashing to the ground. He ducked into the shade of a nearby tree and made a mental note to violently murder the flea the next time their paths crossed.

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**The sexy time has happened, and you all know that that means! Inuyasha is well on his way. This is the part where things get sad as you are all aware. How does Takemaru find out? How was Inutaisho mortally wounded? And how does Sesshomaru react to the news that he's going to be a big brother? Stay tuned! ^-^**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ohh, a suprise ending of this particular chapter**, **a soft spot is touched and an unexpected person ends up in tears. Whoo!**

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Chapter 6

_The next 3 months would be the saddest and most trying times Izayoi had ever known. 5 weeks into the war, Lord Tsukasa suddenly succumbed to an sudden illness of the heart and died. It was a huge blow to everyone in the House of Tenchimaru, and their burden of sorrow had just begun. A weak soul from birth, the grief stricken Michiru joined her husband in the afterlife weeks later and the sweet and caring Lady Izayoi fell victim to a strange illness._

_A blanket of emotional distress felt like it would last forever, but time ebbed away the more severe scars, the season changed and slowly but surely they found happiness in the little things again. Things began to change for the better._

_The one thing that remained was Lady Izayoi's illness, however it was far from fatal._

"_How is the Lady Izayoi today?" a servant asked. _

_Yukiko shook her head, "Still unable to keep anything down. The physician's say it's the stress of her grief, but it has been 3 months since the death of the Lord and Lady. I see her heart healing more and more each day. Why then does this illness remain?"_

_The servant motioned for Yukiko to come closer, she lifted up a stack of white cloths, "I went to re-fill the Lady Izayoi's 'female' cabinet and found it still full. I fear the illness is worse that we think. This happened to one of my sisters; when she recovered her body was never able to bear children! This would be a bad omen to the eventual marriage to Lord Takemaru. I beg you, do something before this illness affects her fertility."_

_Yukiko looked at the cloths in shock, but another fear was forming in her heart._

_

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"_Are you sure you require no assistance, Izayoi-sama?"_

_Izayoi was exasperated, "Yes!" she said for what seemed to be the millionth time. She calmed herself down and smiled at the servant, 'Yes Miki, I'm fine," she said. The servant nodded, leaving Izayoi to bathe herself._

_Waiting until the footsteps disappeared, Izayoi exited the bath and wrapped a robe around herself. She was grateful the servant hadn't realized she had already had a bath and was getting ready to finish. She passed a mirror, then stopped and backtracked. Izayoi checked the door once more before pulling apart the folds of the robe and giving the growing bulge of her belly some much needed sunlight, "You're growing strong my little one…" she whispered to her unborn child, Inutaisho's child._

_Everyone was wrong, they looked up to Izayoi as a pillar of strength during the loss of her parents. A goddess who took the reighns gracefully and led her people through that horrible time, but it was not inner strength; it was the child inside her. She needed to be strong for it, to carry on for it. Inutaisho wrote her often, depicting the battles he had to go through, unfortunately his task would keep him away from her longer than he had anticipated, a good 4 months longer. The nights were unbearable in the beginning, but when she found out that she had a piece of him growing steadily inside her, a new found strength helped her through each passing day. _

_The child's legs kicked against its mother, causing her to giggle. _

"_IZAYOI!" Yukiko screamed, the lady of the house quickly covered her body and turned around to face her friend, but the damage had been done. Yukiko closed the distance between them and ripped the robe open, gawking at the bulge. She glared at Izayoi, "Who did this?" she asked. The servant that had been speaking to Yukiko and Izayoi's nurse maid Miki came rushing in, startled by the scream. Yukiko ran to the door and shut it tightly, "Say nothing," she warned. The women looked at Izayoi and gasped._

"'_Twas no illness, but that of an expectant mother!" The servant whispered._

_Izayoi covered herself, "Who was it?" Yukiko asked again._

"_Could it be the child of Takemaru?" Miki asked. Yukiko shook her head, "Takemaru has been away longer than that child has been in her, she looks no farther than her first season. You will tell me, Izayoi!" she yelled._

"_This child was not forced upon me if that is what you are thinking," Izayoi said, seeing though Yukiko's facade._

"_Forced or no, do not forget you are the property of another man! That is a crime, he must be brought to justice," Yukiko said. _

"_I am the property of no man!" Izayoi shouted back at her, "I am loved and love the father of this child. I will belong to no one but him!"_

"_Who is it, Izayoi!" Yukiko asked for a third time._

_The servant gasped, pointing to the scar at the base of Izayoi's neck, "You are not a wife, but a mate!" When Yukiko saw it, her temper shot through the roof, "A YOUKAI! Your child was sired…by a DEMON!" she screamed. _

_The servant and Miki had to restrain the girl from killing Izayoi, "I knew your obsession with youkai was toxic! I should have burned your scrolls, locked you in the palace. What a fool I was! You succumbed to one and will bear his child!"_

_The entire house had congregated outside the wash room. Yukiko had screamed to the world Izayoi's betrayal._

"_I have disgraced the House of Tenchimaru? Is that what you are saying to me?" she asked._

"_Yes!" Yukiko screamed, "You have broken Takemaru's heart, the scandal will spread far and wide, we will be cast from the eyes of our peers. The house will fall because of you!"_

"_Then I leave you as the heir to the House of Tenchimaru." She said calmly._

_Yukiko relaxed, almost instantly._

"_You Yukiko, will assume my position. Tell anyone that asks that Izayoi of Tenchimaru died of illness. Marry Takemaru, produce heirs, keep my-no your people employed. I regret nothing, I love the father of this child, but I will not let this house fall because of my actions."_

"_Where will you go?" Yukiko asked. Izayoi started for the door, "To create a life for me and my child."_

_The door burst open and people from all around the house flooded in._

"_No Izayoi-sama!"_

"_Do not leave us!"_

"_Don't leave your decision to save us on our heads!"_

"_I can't stay," she said with a sad smile, "This way everyone gets what they want."_

"_Who said I want to rule?" Yukiko asked, "I am no ruler Izayoi. You are not permitted to run away from your duties."_

"_Then what do you propose we do?" Izayoi asked._

_Yukiko thought for a moment, then turned to all the servants, "Do you love Lady Izayoi?" she asked._

"_Yes!" they replied in unison._

"_Are you all willing to go along with anything I say to keep her here?" she asked again._

"_Yes!"_

"_If there is a man opposed to this, let him speak now!" she warned. Silence followed her proclamation, there were no objections. Everyone loved the Lady Izayoi far too much to betray her now, she was kind and sweet, she treated them like human beings._

"_Within these walls, the Lady Izayoi rules. She is your lady and governs over all of you as she always has, but from this day forward outside these walls the lady is dead, the victim of a sudden illness and I am your ruler. Do you understand and agree to these conditions?"_

"_We do."_

"She was loved by so many, huh?" Kagome asked.

"Aye, that she was," Myoga answered, "Even after the Great Dog Demon passed we demons kept close connections with Lady Izayoi, her warm disposition was certainly hard to go without."

Inuyasha stood up, rather abruptly and started into the forest. A moment of confusion passed between them before Kagome rose and went after him.

"Inuyasha?" she called, lookin around. She found him by a waterfall, his back was to her.

"Inuyasha?" she called.

"What?" he said, not turning.

"Are you o.k?"

"I'm fine, I just wanted to take a walk."

"In the middle of the story?"

"I told you it doesn't interest me all that much."

But Kagome wasn't buying it, "Didn't I tell you that you could tell me whenever something was bothering you?" she asked.

Inuyasha turned, showing her his tear-stained face, "It's not easy...remembering her. The people loved her, they cared for her and looked to her with respect, but those feelings were limited to only her. Izayoi's half-demon son had no place in their hearts, and while I became accustomed to it, it killed her."

Inuyasha gasped as arms wrapped around his torso, he placed his hands on Kagome's, then turned and took her into a tight hug. From against his chest she could hear the sobs, even before Myoga told them what happened, Kagome knew his mother was a touchy subject.

She took his face into her hands, wiping at the tears with her thumbs, "No child has ever been born in a fair and just world, not even me. Izayoi-sama put up with a lot to take as much of the pain away from you as possible. Honor her, Inuyasha, honor her sarcrifice by living your life to the fullest. I promise you help you do that, if you want me to."

Inuyasha nodded. Kagome smiled, pulling out a hankerchief from her pocket and wiping his nose, "Now look at you. Big, tough Inuyasha has a runny nose."

The hanyou laughed, "I'll kill you," he said.

"We have a story to finish, are you ready?"

"Yeah..." he said. The two made their way back to camp, unaware that they weren't alone.

Sesshomaru stared at the place where his brother stood. His face a pensive one.

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**That's the way it played out in my mind. In the beginning, the people were well aware of Izayoi's condition, but I remember their cruelty towards Inuyasha. More on that in the upcoming chapters!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Lol, I was working through this story and needed some info from the 3rd movie, so I went to watch it. The way things fit in started to freak me out. lol. If you can, when this story is over read it and then check out the movie. It made me lol.**

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_The war, exciting and adventurous in the beginning, had grown long and grueling; days seemed to drag by the longer each soldier was away from home. They were dirty, tired, hungry and worst of all, they were bored. They no longer flinched at the sight of blood and gore, the rush of victory no longer filled their hearts. The dying screams of their opponents was a monotonous melody and while each man came from different origins, different ages and ranks in this lifeless battle, each of their minds held the same thought. They wanted to go home._

_Takemaru was no exception. He was done with this ridiculous campaign, most if not all bandits had been wiped out in the first 6 months. He had to endure inclimate weather, ghastly battle scenes, and the loss of his dear friend and General Lord Tsukasa, he was done. One more sweep through the lands and bandits or no, he was ending this war._

"_Takemaru-sama, we're here," said Mitsuo, Takemaru's right hand man._

_The brigade stopped at a passageway between two massive mountains. The Gate to The Thunder Palace was its name and it was as foreboding at Takemaru imagined it to be. No sun shone on these mountains; instead a thick layer of clouds skirted around and in between the passage, on either side of the dirt walkway was dark, dense forest._

_The dying scream of an animal from somewhere in the maze of trees filled the air, sending fear deep into the hearts of Takemaru's men, "Are you sure we have to go t-this way m'lord?" a young soldier asked. The lord of Setsuna looked at the greenhorn and nodded, "It's a faster way though. If we go around the mountains, jagged cliffs and savage bird demons await us and an extension of two months will be added to the journey."_

_The words "two months will be added to the journey" seemed to bulk up their confidence. Takemaru dismounted his horse, "Besides, we can barter for safe passage this way." _

"_Barter, m'lord?" Mistuo asked._

_Takemaru reached into a satchel on the saddle of his horse and pulled out an incense burner, two olive branches and a small golden table. "This is not a world of men, youkai rule the air and sky, the sea and earth. We must be careful not to forget that." _

_He arranged the items to form a small shrine at the entrance of the passage and kneeled before it, "Daiyoukai of the clouds and air, ruler of these grandiose mountains. We humbly beseech thee to reveal yourself to us!" he yelled. _

_The men looked around in confusion and fear as the wind picked up, the clouds darkened and thunder roared across the sky._

_A huge white dog dove out of the clouds and landed with a frightening rumble in front of the alter. It was certainly a sight to behold and was not one any of the soldiers, even the most seasoned ones had seen before. The men clambered backwards as the dog roared into the dark sky and took on a new shape.._

_When the clouds subsided, they were all relatively shocked to see a beautiful woman in front of them. _

"_A woman?"_

"_It's a woman!"_

"_Oh, how I'd like to-," their voices were cut of as Takemaru raised his hand, "You'd be wise to stay silent. This woman is not one to be trifled with." He warned._

_The youkai brushed her long, silver hair off of her shoulders and rubbed her striped cheek on the fur on her kimono, "Who summons Soranoriko, demoness of the western lands?"_

_Takemaru bowed, "I, Takemaru of Setsuna have summoned you, my lady. I humbly ask the demon guardian of the air and mountains for safe passage. I beg you to take of our goods as compensation for your guiding light; we've gold, live stock, and many rare treasures."_

_Soranoriko's icy blue eyes had already seen what they wanted, "I will grant you your safe passage."_

_The world fazed around them, suddenly the men were in a large lounging room of some sort, large pillows carpeted the floor, in the middle of this room was a long oak table covered in fine and exotic culinary dishes, "Welcome to my palace. Your men look weary Takemaru of Setsuna, have them eat and rest."_

_The men cheered and stampeded to the food._

_Takemaru looked around then turned back to Soranoriko and bowed, "My deepest gratitude my lady, but what do you still haven't told me what you wish for in return?"_

_Her lips rose into a seductive smile, "You Takemaru," she answered, "It's been a long time since I've laid eyes on such a perfect human specimen and I would be impudent not to take advantage of that. Accompany me for the night. In the morning you and your men will be free to go."_

_Takemaru stared at her for a moment, then bowed, "If it is what your lady wishes. I will oblige to your request." _

_Soranoriko motioned the way to her chambers and slipped an arm around Takemaru's as he walked by. It was not his ideal situation, but there was naught to be done. He couldn't turn back now and if he refused the youkai onna her wrath would be the worst fate he and his men ever endured. He was too close to his true love to die now, and it was with her that his heart resided. Still, as the doors closed and Soranoriko undressed, Takemaru prayed, 'Forgive me, Izayoi. Forgive me…'_

_

* * *

_

"Wow…was Sesshomaru's mother really like that?" Kagome asked.

"Was?" Myoga asked, "She still _is_. One does not take Soranoriko-sama lightly. Second only to Sesshomaru and the Great Dog Demon when he was alive, she is the most terrifying youkai in the western lands. She's knows what she wants and gets it."

"Including Takemaru, that pig!" Sango spat.

"Well, it wasn't that he wanted to. He was obliged to for his men's and to get home to Izayoi. If I were in the same position I would do no different." Miroku stated. Sango punched the back of his head, "I'm sure you would."

* * *

_After a night filled with pulling Soranoriko into a meaningless naked embrace, Takemaru was ready to get out of there. While he dressed the demoness was watching him, her bare body rubbing against the satin bed sheets, "Izayoi," she stated._

_Takemaru's turned from his position on the bed, how did she know his love's name?_

"_The war has taken quite a toll on you Takemaru. You talk in your sleep," she explained, reading his mind. The man was about to turn to finish dressing when another strange statement left her lips, "But that is not why I know that name."_

_She laughed, stretching her long legs and arms, "Poor Takemaru, you served me so well last night. I feel somewhat obliged to tell you,"_

"_Tell me what?" he asked._

_Soranorkiko rose and crawled over to him, her legs parted and slipped around his torso, dangling over the edge of the bed. Her arms pulled his still bare back against her breasts as she whispered into his ear, "Your love has no heart to give to you." _

_Takemaru shot out of her grip and whirled around, "Lies! Izayoi possesses a heart, and it is as pure as the freshly fallen snow!" he yelled angrily._

"_You speak the truth, her heart is pure but it beats from the palm of someone else's hand," she said calmly._

"_I do not understand," he said._

"_Do not tell me there is no mind behind that fair face of yours Takemaru, Izayoi has fallen in love with someone else."_

"_And how would you know any of this?" he asked, while he was obliged to be subservient to the youkai, he would not put faith in what was probably empty words._

"_Simple," she said, "I am the mate of the person who stole her heart."_

_Takemaru's stomach churned, all around him the world began to spiral out of control. This wasn't happening; it was a nightmare that he would wake up from. His love, the girl he admired and dreamt of did not betray him. He forced his mind to think straight and smiled, "I see, you're angry at your mate, is that it?"_

_Soanoriko laughed, "Angry? For what? My mate has every right to see whomever he wishes as I do."_

"_If this is all true, why are you telling me this?"_

"_Simply so you won't be surprised when you return. You will find the love of you life much altered and human's are so fragile. When you go home and see her swollen belly your heart will shatter-,"_

"_She is with child?" Takemaru asked, his heart plummeted into his feet, shattering on impact._ '_This isn't right! She and I were supposed to…I thought that we…that the child in her womb would be…'_

_Inside the mind of Takemaru something snapped. Fury filled his broken heart, so much had he endured, so many painful and lonely days he lived through keeping her in his mind. He sacrificed everything and the woman who he did it for was now the property of another._

_The man threw on the rest of his armor and stormed out of the door, "Men, gather yourselves quickly!" he yelled._

_Soranoriko laughed as the heart broken man crazily stormed off onto his fate. Takemaru was a fool to be consumed by his rage, he would probably seek out Inutaisho for revenge. The pitiful human had no chance against her husband; he would be dead within a month. Soranoriko smiled, "That was for taking me into your arms and seeing someone else."_

_

* * *

_

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin called. Everyone looked up as Sesshomaru arrived, never knowing he'd been there the whole time.

'Rin, Jakken, AhUn let's go," he stated simply. Jakken sprung up and sprinted merrily to his master. Rin however was not so quick to move, "We are listening to Myoga-ojisan tell us the story of Inutaisho and Izayoi!" she said, "I want to see how it ends."

"Rin, Sesshomaru-sama is a very busy man, we can not stall him for such a frivolous thing," Jakken said. Rin sighed and got up, bidding everyone a goodbye.

"Wench of Inuyasha, come here," Sesshomaru ordered. The miko looked at the youkai, then at Inuyasha, "What do you want with her?" Inuyasha asked.

"I've no time for games, if you do not come here I will leave," he said and started to depart.

"Wait!" Kagome said, rising and running over to the youkai, "What is it?"

The daiyoukai motioned for her to follow him to somewhere less crowded. When they were alone, he handed her a scroll, "Give this to that bastard brother of mine."

Kagome took the scroll into her hands and stared at it, "Um, o.k. What is it?"

"It's something my father left me, I've no use for it," the way Sesshomaru said 'my father' triggered a question in Kagome's mind, "Sesshomaru."

The daiyoukai turned to her, "I saw the look on your face when your father appeared to you, I know deep in your heart that you miss him."

A deep frown set upon Sesshomaru's face, "What sort of thing is none of your concern."

"I know. I know, but why? If you miss him, why are you so angry as well?"

Sesshomaru scoffed, "My father had no confidence in me, in my demon strength, in my abilities and worst of all lost his heart to a human, why should I hold anything else but contempt for that man?"

Kagome gripped the scroll, looking down at the floor, "Because he was your father and he did have confidence in you, he just wanted to protect you."

"I never wanted protection. I lead the path of eternal conquest, if I died in battle it would have been more honorable."

Kagome sighed, "Dads try hard to do what's best for their children; you can't begrudge him for that. He wants you to live Sesshomaru. Yeah maybe he did act without consulting you, but that's a father for you. It's something I'm sure even you will come to understand," she said, looking at Rin playing off in the distance.

"Do not mistake a youkai father to a ningen one. My father died for Inuyasha, he gave the sword that I coveted to Inuyasha, that hanyou was given everything while I was cast aside."

"Are you sure about that?" Kagome asked, "The fact that you're able to be mad at him means you must have been very close. Inuyasha has no memories of him, he cannot feel sad for the loss of his father, he cannot remember any good times. He can't even feel angry over something his father did that he didn't agree on like you can. I'm sure that that is something he'd trade the Tetsusaiga for any day."

Kagome turned, "I'll take this to Inuyasha, but perhaps you should start seeing the situation from a different persective."

Sesshomaru watched the miko disappear into the forest, then shook his head and stared in the opposite direction, "Rediculous."

Inuyasha nearly tackled Kagome with questions, "What did he want? Are you o.k.? Did he turn you in anyway?"

The miko just patted his head and sat down next to him, "I'm fine," she stated. The hanyou still looked her over closely. Kagome reached into her pocket and pulled out the scroll, "He wanted me to give this to you." She said. Inuyasha eyed the article with confused and wary eyes before taking it and opening it.

Staring at the group from his place on the paper was a painting of the Great and Terrible Lord of the Western Lands, Inutaisho.

* * *

**Hopefully those words make the gears in Sesshomaru's head turn a little. Lol. And it was super nice of him to give his little brother a picture of his dad, don't you? Just a little fluff I threw in there XD. But I digress as the manga progressed (Spoiler alert!) Sesshomaru came to realize his father's motives for the things that he did and made amends in his heart and mind. That's why I didn't dwell too much on that. On to the next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Holy effin' poop! After a two year hiatus, I managed to knock this chapter out of the sticky crevices of my head! I've been so busy working and being bombarded with other pieces that sadly this one fell to the back burner, but now it's back and the final chapter of Inuyasha: A Prologue is on it's way. To my faithful, thanks! R and R!**

* * *

_The palace of Soranoriko would not see its last visitor in Takemaru of Setsuna. The man made furious by Soranoriko's meddling and his army were freshly departed when yet another person arrived._

_The queen of the western lands sat in her bedchambers, still naked from her lusty encounter with Takemaru of Setsuna and relishing in the sweet midday air that passed through her mountaintop home. Pressed against her bare breasts was a golden sitar, one specially crafted with gems along the neck that projected images of her dog demon ancestors into the air while she played. Her fingers plucked at its strings gently, its exotic notes wafting into the air and mingling with the melody she was now singing._

_**And the samurai fell into darkness…**_

_**And his heart was consumed by the blood of the moon…**_

_**Over and over and over…**_

_A nervous, lizard-like youkai servant hastily entered the room, "Soranoriko-sama, your son is here-," as she finished the sentence the giant oak door opened further. Sesshomaru was never one to wait, especially in the foul mood he was currently in and entered his mother's room, the look on his face told Soranoriko her mate was doing his job._

_Still, she played coy, "Sesshomaru, you honor your dear mother with your presence," she drawled, rising and slowly making her way to the bed for her robe. She had always been keen on chaos and discord, being a creature of tumultuous weather and the furious tension radiating off of her son made her almost want to writhe with pleasure. She wondered for a moment if he really did have a chance in falling his father, the final contender in Sesshomaru's rise to power._

_"Where's father?" he demanded, deciding to ignore the fact that his mother's room reeked of humans._

_"Off on a conquest, as you are supposed to be." she answered, draping the robe over her shoulders and loosely tying the sash._

_"My conquest has been cut short. Mizumaru was cut down before I was to battle him."_

_"How tragic," she said carelessly, pouring herself a glass of sake, "there will be others, my son. An abundance of youkai roam the lands, you'll have your battles; do not forget that your greatest rival still lives and it will take all the preparation you need."_

_"Spare me your patronizing games, why did father cut him down? Mizumaru had nothing that father would want to lay claim to, he was mine to destroy!" Sesshomaru barked._

_Soranoriko stared at her son for a moment, "You will hold your insolent tongue in the presence of your mother. Mizumaru would have devoured you before you could draw your sword. I've invested far too much time into you for you to be felled by a daiyoukai. Heed my warning, Sesshomaru, Mizumaru's death is a blessing as will be the death of Ryukutsei, take advantage of it and ready yourself."_

_Sesshomaru closed the distance between he and his mother in an instant, seizing her by the throat before she could react. Soranoriko, despite the inability to block her son was unusually calm and stared at him as though nothing was going on. Sesshomaru spoke in a tone laced in quiet fury, "How dare you interfere with my conquest, it was my decision to fight Mizumaru. Your investment is no concern of mine; a victory without struggle is no victory at all! You say father is after Ryukutsei? I will kill them both." He let her go roughly, allowing her to fall to the ground and started towards the door. Soranoriko rose, "My son is a fool. You will be killed and replaced!"_

_Sesshomaru stopped and turned, "Replaced?"_

_She smiled, "So you haven't heard?" she asked with a chuckle, "The world will see another child, sired by the Great Dog Demon himself."_

_Sesshomaru winced a wince of disgust, "Your lies grow weaker and weaker, I smell no child within you."_

_"I was not speaking of myself," she said with a smile._

_Sesshomaru stared at Soranoriko; he had no confidence in anything she said. She was after all a master at deception, but if it was true, then it was yet another youkai to defeat._

_"Name the demoness," he demanded._

_Soranoriko laughed, "You've been away too long, my son, your father is not the youkai you remember. His heart has grown soft, the mother of his new child a human."_

_For the first time in a long time, Sesshomaru's emotionless mask slipped and surprise shone through. He cared little who his father and mother took as companions for the night, but a human? A human that would bear him a child no less. Truly the cold, emotionless Inutaisho, the demon whose name alone struck fear into the hearts of men and daiyokai alike was gone and a weak, fickle hearted stranger had taken his place._

_"My poor Sesshomaru," Soranoriko took the moment to close the distance, placing her hand on his face and studying his features. Her son's absence had indeed altered his looks, the boy she reared was gone and before her stood a young, virile male who stood to rule. She was right in her suspicions, such a man would be ideal as a mate; it was one of the driving forces that caused her to seek Inutaisho's assistance in dispatching the demons. Her current mate was strong, but getting old. It was only a matter of time before someone challenged his reign, assuring Sesshomaru's rise to power would assure her place as his queen, only the strongest female would rule by him. Soranoriko took care of things on her end by killing any youkai females that stood in her way, she was now his only choice, "Such news can be distressing, allow me to care for you," she pressed her form against his own, "allow me to relieve your stress that you may be ready to fight your father."_

_Sesshomaru shook away the shock and slipped his cold façade back on, he removed his mother's hand from his face and thrust it back at her, "The stench of humans on you is almost as repelling as the lies that endlessly spew from your mouth," he turned and started out the door, "A hanyou brother, such disgrace is unfathomable, my sword will cut the mother down before that abomination can breathe its first breath."_

* * *

"Geez, I never thought I'd say this but I sympathize with Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said.

"Seriously, his mom is seven shades of twisted," Kagome added, "trying to seduce her own son, gross."

Myoga just shook his head, "There's much you don't understand about youkai's. Incest is not taboo in the demon world, truth be told Soranoriko is an ideal match for Sesshomaru, she's ruthless, powerful and capable of producing strong heirs. Her proposal of mateship still stands today, it's up to Sesshomaru whether or not he wants anything to do with her."

"I'm fairly sure he doesn't," Kagome said.

"So Mizumaru had been defeated by the time Sesshomaru got home, that seems fast to me." Inuyasha pointed out.

"I'm summarizing, my lord, truth be told it took Inutaisho three weeks to kill Mizumaru."

"Three weeks?!" The group said in unison.

"Like I've said before, there's much you don't understand about demons, the most powerful ones you've ever fought took a day at it's longest to defeat, imagine then the kind of youkai your father as fighting." Myoga said.

Inuyasha smirked, "I killed Ryukutsei in a day, explain that!"

Myoga shook his head, "There's an explanation for that that's in this story, if you'll allow me to continue."

"We apologize, continue." Kagome said.

Myoga shifted on his little mat and cracked at his shoulders, adjusting himself to a more comfortable position to continue the story, or so the group though.

"Ahem…where was I?" he asked.

Everyone fell forward, Kagome had to keep Inuyasha from stomping the forgetful flea into the ground.

"So where is Inutaisho-sama at this point, or Izayoi-sama for that matter. Takemaru's on his way to the house of Tenchimaru, is he not?" Sango asked.

"Ah, yes!" Myoga said.

* * *

_Inutaisho sighed as he trudged through the swampy lands surrounding Ryukutsei's territory, Mizumaru had been harder to dispatch than he had originally anticipated, the youkai was well guarded with little land masses for Inutaisho to stand on long enough to get a good Dragon Twister going. Eventually it was the luck of being pinned against the base of a cliff that was Inutaisho's saving grace. With a swipe of Sounga he was able to bring the mountainside down on the water demon. He was not badly injured, but he was more worn out that he wanted to be. Still he couldn't rest; he had to destroy Ryukutsusei for Sesshomaru._

_"Inutaisho-sama!" someone called._

_The silver haired demon looked up and leapt out of the way as a man riding a demon cow came crashing down to the ground, creating a 2 feet deep hole in the mountain passage way. The old man was unfazed at the fact that he nearly ran over a daiyoukai and calmly dismounted his cow._

_"Your reflexes are a sharp as ever my lord," the man said as he untied two swords from the saddle of the cow. Inutaisho only laughed, "One grows accustomed to your infrequent and unorthodox arrivals, Totosai. I take it you have some good news for me."_

_"Aye, my lord." Totosai said, removing the swords. He handed Inutaisho the sword with a fur hilt first, allowing the daiyoukai to unsheathe it and examine the repairs. As always the work Totosai did was flawless, "You can't tell it was ever broken." Inutaisho complemented his blacksmith as he eyed the blade._

_Totosai bowed, "It is an honor as always to see you satisfied, Inutaisho-sama. The fragment that was cast from Tetsusaiga proved most interesting, if I may see your arm I may show you."_

_Inutaisho looked at Tototsai with wary eyes, but decided the demon blacksmith had proven himself trustworthy over their years as acquaintances and obliged, extending his arm out in front of him._

_Totosai unsheathed the new sword and laid the blade at Inutaisho's forearm, quicker than one would give the old man credit for; he raised the sword and slashed at the daiyoukai's limb. Inutaisho waited for the pain his dissevered arm would cause him, regretting the misguided act of willingly sacrificing his fighting arm. When nothing happened he shifted his gaze from the new sword to his forearm._

_Nothing, his limb was as intact and unscathed as it had ever been, clothes and all, had Totosai missed?_

_Totosai handed Inutaisho the handle of his new sword, "I did not miss," he said, reading the daiyoukai's mind, "That sword reamed through your flesh as any other would, however nothing was displaced in it's swipe. In other words, the fragment created a blade that does not cut."_

_"Interesting, but not much use to me." Inutaisho admitted, handing the sword back to the demon blacksmith, Totosai just raised his hand, "That's not all." He said and looked towards the sky, a bird flew overhead, Totosai waited until it was close enough to blow a billow of fire at it, striking the poor creature and causing it to crash at their feet in a fiery heap._

_As the bird died, the sword began to shiver in Inutaisho's hands, the world around him slowed and began to transcend from one life to the other. Being a youkai, Inutaisho was aware of the world of spirits, he watched as a toad-like reaper youkai appeared and began the process of taking the bird's soul._

_'Strike the reaper,' it was not words, but rather a thought that came to Inutaisho's mind. The daiyoukai looked at the trembling sword before pointing it at the reaper and slashing at it. The creature screamed in pain and disappeared into nothingness. Soon after the world returned to its normal pace and with it a bird as unfazed and alive as it had ever been._

_Inutaisho looked at the bird fly away in amazement before looking back down at his new sword. It was similar to the demon within Sounga but different in disposition, his arm did not sear with evil as it did with Sounga, in fact the sword of hell was the quietest Inutaisho had ever seen it. Whatever this sword was it was benevolent._

_"Tensaiga."_

_"Nani?" Inutaisho asked._

_"I've named the sword Tensaiga, as Sounga is the sword of hell, as Tetsusaiga is the sword of the earth so this sword will exist as the sword of heaven. It is not a sword made for destruction, but rather one that can save a life."_

_"Tensaiga," Inutaisho repeated._

_"A question, my lord," Totosai asked._

_"Be out with it."_

_"What exactly are you doing here?"_

_"I trek towards the mountains, to Ryukutsei, I intend to fight him." Inutaisho explained quietly._

_Totosai's demeanor quickly changed from one of aloof indifference to one of concern, "Ryukutsei, but why? You've maintained a truce for centuries, why challenge him now?"_

_"My son," Inutaisho stated, "He means to fight Ryukutsei as was the case with Mizumaru, I must intervene, Sesshomaru will not succeed. I myself have doubts of victory."_

_"I see, so you were the one behind Mizumaru's death, I cannot stop you, nor will I try, but I fail to see the logic in all of this, Sesshomaru lusts for power and it's none of your concern how he tries to obtain that. So why intervene?"_

_"I'm not the same man I was a year ago." Inutaisho stated._

_"That's a given, my lord, your power has increased almost 10 fold what it was, I saw that when it only took you three weeks to kill Mizumaru and it was confirmed when you took hold of Tetsusaiga."_

_Inutiasho stared at Totosai, who nodded, "So what has happened this year that would change your power so drastically?"_

_"Where do I begin?" Inutaisho asked._

* * *

_The world Izayoi now existed in had finally fallen into a normal pace, with a few alterations. Rather than tell everyone she was dead, an act that could bring more questions that they needed, Yukiko came up with a rather interesting alternative. With the help of Izayoi's knowledge of herbs and medicines, she was able to dye her hair and eyes to match Izayoi's, Yukiko would disappear and instead act as a double on the outside of the mansion, a role that she assimilated into quite well._

_Izayoi was thrilled to be free of some of her duties, it was still up to her to keep things running smoothly within the walls of Tenshimaru, but she had more time to herself, and her baby._

_"You're big." Yukiko stated, running her hands over Izayoi's stomach. The two were lying in the flowers in the garden, looking like twins rather than friends. The days were growing colder and with a lull in social activities they were taking a much needed break._

_"You're lucky I admire your honesty," Izayoi joked, shifting to her side and propping her head on her hand, she couldn't really blame Yukiko, she was a lot bigger than a pregnant woman in her fourth month should look._

_"I just mean that you look like you're ready to have the baby tomorrow rather than five months from now," Yukiko said, after a week of not speaking to Izayoi she'd come around to the idea of a baby, which was more than could be said for the rest of the servants. Izayoi was fortunate to have people who cared for her so much, but she worried of what was going to happen when it was born._

_"Maybe it's twins?" Yukiko's proposal was rewarded with a flower to the head. "This child is rambunctious and makes a playground of my body as it is, to be two?" she laughed and ran her hand down her belly._

_"I think it's a girl," Yukiko said, "it sits low on your body."_

_"Me too," Izayoi agreed._

* * *

"Shut up!" Inuyasha yelled at the now giggling group.

"Inuyasha was supposed to be Inuyashako!" Shippo yelled between laughs.

"Ha, o.k. Shippo-chan, that's enough," Kagome said.

Myoga shrugged, "I'm sorry, my lord, but you being a boy shocked everyone. The signs indicated a girl, your mother's original nursery was catered to a female before the fire happened."

"Inuyasha in a pink kimono!" Shippo screamed, the entire group bursted out into a new fit of laughter.

The hanyou had all the verbal abuse he could take, he leapt forward, seizing Shippo and wedged him between his knees, driving his knuckles into the temples on either side of the kitsune's head.

"Kagome-chan!" Shippo cried.

"Gomen ne Shippo-chan demo you brought it on yourself." Kagome said.

* * *

_Izayoi and Yukiko were about to turn in when one Miki, the older servant that had discovered Izayoi's pregnancy came rushing towards them, "Izayoi-sama, Takemaru has returned!"_

_Izayoi's heart plummeted into her stomach, beside her Yukiko was already thinking of what to do, "Izayoi-sama, hide yourself, I'll charade as you and convince him to leave,"_

_"The lord knows of your condition," the girls turned and watched as men bustled into the courtyard, seizing the servant and Yukiko, Izayoi glanced past the guards into the mansion and saw that all the other servants were being held at sword point. The man who spoke came forward; it was Mitsuo, Takemaru's captain._

_He stopped a few feet ahead of her and looked her up and down, "Takemaru-sama requests an audience with you."_

_"I'll see him but you must first release my servants, they are innocent!"_

_"That is for Takemaru-sama to judge." He said, reaching for Izayoi's arm, the lady of the house jerked it out of his reach and stormed past him to the meeting chambers._

* * *

_"I see," Totosai said when it was all over, "I never pegged you for the type to fall for anyone, let alone a human."_

_"I felt the same way, but Izayoi changed me, her kindness, her heart, her bravery had an effect that I didn't understand at first, she opened my eyes to the world in ways I never thought possible, it is because I wish to protect her, our child that I am able to do the things I can."_

_"The things you claim are unprecedented and in all honesty hard for me to understand, but I cannot deny the power you possess is far greater than anything I have ever seen."_

_"Yet I wonder if it is enough to defeat Ryukutsei," Inutaisho said, staring at the cloud-covered peak that hid the domain of his enemy._

_Totosai crossed his arms, one hand stroking his coarse beard, "I will not give you false hope, even in this state I cannot assure you will defeat him."_

_Inutaisho was silent for a long time, his mind contemplated things he never worried about before, after a long pause he turned to the blacksmith, "Totosai, you are one of my closest confidantes."_

_"Aye, my lord, I've never held allegiance with any other youkai save yourself, I will follow you in death if necessary."_

_"I need you to do something for me, in the event of my death I wish for you to carry out my will."_

_Totosai was not prepared to hear that, the daiyokai had never spoke of defeat as a possibility before, he couldn't fathom the thoughts that were racing within the Great Dog Demon's mind at that point, "Aye, my lord."_

_"You will seal Sounga away, take it somewhere no one, be they ningen or youkai can find it. This is not a sword meant for a weak mind or heart, if it falls into the wrong hands, life as we know it could be destroyed, do you understand?"_

_"Aye, my lord, but if it's that powerful why not entrust it to Sesshomaru, he has shown a great growth in power in the years he's been gone?" Totosai asked._

_"I have my reasons, in time you will understand," was all that Inutaisho said._

_"And the other two, my lord?"_

_"Sesshomaru will be given Tensaiga."_

_"You mean Tetsusaiga, right?" Totosai asked._

_Inutaisho shook his head, "No, Tensaiga will go to Sesshomaru, I see now that the path my son walks is one that will destroy him as it almost did to me, Tensaiga needs a caring heart, in time my hope is that he learns to open his to someone."_

_"And Tetsusaiga?"_

_Inutaisho became silent once again, as though he was deciding something other than the sword's owner, a soft smile spread across his face, "It will go to Inuyasha."_

_"Who?"_

_"That is the name of my other son, Inuyasha. In the event of my death the world that awaits him is cruel and uncaring, this is my way of protecting him. You need not worry about delivering the sword to him, I have a plan for Tetsusaiga. Will you do this for me, Totosai?"_

_"I'd rather not incur the wrath of your eldest by giving him a sword he cannot use, but I will do as you ask."_

_"One more thing," Inutaisho said. Totosai has mounted his cow and was moments from departing, "Yes my lord?"_

_"Have Myoga watch over Inuyasha, he's brave, strong, handsome-,"_

* * *

"Aren't you embellishing the story just a bit?" Inuyasha asked as he grinded the flea into the ground with his foot.

"My apologies." Myoga grunted.

* * *

_"I will do your bidding, my lord." Totosai said and with one last bow turned and started back to his cave._

_Inutaisho thought of Izayoi, of his sons and the wishes he's just bestowed upon Totosai. With one last look at the horizon he turned and started into the valley of Ryukutsei._

* * *

_A feeling of dread filled Izayoi's heart, her mind filled with thoughts of Inutaisho but she reluctantly shook them away and focused on the more immediate danger within the palace._

_Takemaru had settled himself upon the seat that used to be her father's, his arm draped over the armrest and cradling his pensive head, he kept the room dark, illuminating his immediate area with two small candles on each side. To Izayoi he looked like a spider, waiting for its prey._

_He did not look up as she entered the room, even as she was announced to him he kept his eyes shut._

_"Leave us," he said to his men, the soldiers flanking him filed past Izayoi, some shooting her dirty looks before leaving. The mother to be was unfazed and kept staring at the man she would have called her husband._

_"Takemaru," she called._

_"I am Takemaru of Setsuna to the likes of you," he spat. Izayoi winced at his cruelty, but knew that it was a consequence of her decision and accepted it._

_"Takemaru of Setsuna, I beseech you, let my servants go, they're innocent."_

_"They failed to keep you from wandering into the forest, failed to keep you from meeting that bastard youkai and failed from keeping you from lying with him, they are guilty of negligence!" he yelled, then smiled, "I cannot gaze upon you, I keep wishing that I'm going to look up and you will be the pure hearted virgin that was promised to me, the caring girl that stole my breath and whose beauty drove me to cancel my first engagement, but that won't be the case, will it?"_

_"No." The conviction in Izayoi's voice filled the man with anger and forced him to look up. His former bride stood before him just as beautiful as the day he left her, even more so with the glow of a mother. He was not prepared for that and began to weep, "Tell me Izayoi, please tell me that he forced himself upon you, tell me that you are a victim of circumstance. Tell me so that we may rid you of the child and start anew, tell me and this will all go away."_

_"This child is the fruit of my love for Inutaisho, I will not concede to pretend I was unwilling to accept his love."_

_"Then you are nothing to me, you are a snake, a lying seductress not fit to lick the mud from my boots!" He shouted._

_"Then leave me, leave the House of Tenchimaru, we have nothing you want, nothing you care for! Return to the House of Setsuna and forget me!"_

_Takemaru's lip curled into a smile, "Oh, but you do have something I want." He charged Izayoi, seizing her by the hand, "You have the youkai's heart, the birth of his bastard will beckon him here and when he arrives, I'll be waiting to take that heart!"_

_"No!" Izayoi screamed, wrenching free and bolting out of the room, the guards were still stationed outside the room and grabbed her as she passed. Takemaru unsheathed his sword and pointed the blade at her stomach, "I should kill you for the sins you committed against me, such is the law of the land. You live because killing you would deter that teme from returning, and I want blood."_

_"Please, Takemaru, don't do this!" she cried._

_The jilted man shook his head and laughed, "What a fool, you have lost everything because of that demon and still in the face of death you defend him. Your heart must have been devoured long ago."_

_"I ask you to stay your blade not because I fear for his life, I ask you because I fear for yours, all of your lives!" she said to the men, "He's relentless, he'll stop at nothing to reach me, I cannot put you all in danger, I can't have you die for me!"_

_Despite everything Takemaru was taken aback at her words, 'Even with nothing she cares for others than herself,' the thought brought about the love he had for her, even with all she'd done he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and kiss everything away._

_A moment of vulnerability was wiped away cold, heart broken resolve, Takemaru pushed his love away and stood erect, "Take her to her chambers, she's to be restricted to her quarters until that…thing….is born, ready yourselves men, this youkai will return and when he does we'll rip his foul heart from his chest!"_

_"Don't do this!" Izayoi screamed as they led her away. Takemaru however had made up his mind, either way she was to lose._

_As Izayoi was led back to her room, the dilemma that was Takemaru left her mind and Inutaisho returned, 'What will become of you, dearest?"_

* * *

_****_**There. The second to the last chapter! My God this story have me writer's block, it didn't help that other stories started buzzing into my head. Thank God for vacations and heavy amounts of vodka. Well I'm off to write the last chapter. R & R :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Final Chapter

**Holy guacamole Batman, this has been crazy! I left this story as other things in my life came up and always felt bad about leaving it like that. I'm going to complete it for now, though I'll be working on an epilogue whenever I get a chance. I put in dialogue from the movie (the english version) so be sure to watch after reading this. This story is a little more special than others because it's one of the last one's I'll be doing. That's not to say I won't continue writing but chances are they'll only be One Shots from this point on. Anyway I digress, here's the final chapter of Inuyasha: A Prologue, read it, devour it, review it!**

* * *

The day was at its end. The sun's dying rays, with their energy spent warming the earth during the day, turned their fading tails westward to accompany their master as it drifted behind the peaks surrounding the village. All around the small hamlet lanterns flickered to life in the approaching darkness, beckoning the people of the village to end their day of work and prepare for the next chapter of their lives. A befitting setting for the Inu group as they prepared for the end of their own story.

They'd taken a moment from Myoga's tale to eat dinner and were slow to reassemble, some wanted the story to linger for a little while longer, some didn't want the story to end as it meant departing soon after to continue their pursuits, others were grappling with all the new information they had learned.

One such person was Inuyasha.

He sat on a branch in his usual style, arms crossed within the folds of his red haori. Patiently he waited for the group eating below him to disperse before pulling out the scroll Sesshomaru had given him and looking at the image of his father. It wasn't easy to adapt this new perspective of his Inutaisho, he'd grown accustomed to the idea of a nonexistent paternal figure and with the help of his doting mother was able to keep from putting much more thought to it, now the subject had been forced into the limelight of his cognitive stage. Still, he couldn't deny that the things he learned were better than he thought; Inuyasha was loved, as was his mother by a man who ultimately laid his life down for them. Only now did he understand where his mother drew her strength from.

"You've become fond of that picture haven't you?" Kagome asked, startling Inuyasha. The hanyou shoved the scroll back into his haori, becoming so distracted that he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Kagome stared at the heap that was the hanyou of her dreams before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Is everyone ready?" Myoga asked.

"I have a question."

Everyone turned and looked at Inuyasha as he joined them and sat down.

"Yes, my lord?" the flea asked.

"Why hasn't Sesshomaru killed me?"

Myoga spit out his tea and bounced up and down, "What kind of question is that?' You've become a formidable foe, that's why! Sesshoamaru-."

"Stop," Inuyasha snapped, "Sesshomaru…is stronger, faster and more powerful. It kills me to admit that, but it's the truth. Why am I still alive?" his eyes bored into those of his subordinate, pleading for the answer.

Myoga thought for a moment, trying to figure out himself the answer to his master, with a sigh of defeat, he lowered his head, "I…I do not know my lord." The group fell silent, half if not all of them hoped the flea had some anecdote to explain Sesshomaru's hesitation in dispatching the brother he claimed to despise.

An awkward silence had fallen over them, "Maybe Sesshomaru is waiting for Inuyasha to become stronger," Miroku was the first to try to break the weird air with a proposed hypothesis, "Inuyasha has come far but he's not quite there yet."

A vein had formed in Inuyasha's temple, "What are you trying to say?"

Miroku only shrugged, "You were the one who asked, I'm simply trying to put out ideas."

"Maybe Sesshomaru's waiting for Inuyasha to lead by experience instead of his usual brutish fighting style." Sango decided to chip in.

"You too, Sa- maybe Inuyasha isn't a good enough trophy yet."

The once focused group had successfully disintegrated into one of chaotic bickering. Kagome, the level headed peace maker had been wrestling with an idea of her own so much so that she let the argument teeter on a fist fight before piping up, "Inuyasha sit." She said rather calmly.

The hanyou subjugated in the way he does best.

"I think I know why Sesshomaru hasn't killed Inuyasha." She stated, walking over and flipping the dirt faced half breed into his back, Inuyasha was taken aback by her claim so suddenly that he forgot to be angry with her for sitting him.

"I'd like to hear the end of this story, however before telling you my idea."

"As you wish m'lady," Myoga said and started.

* * *

_The valley was alive with movement, from the ground that quaked in response to the heavy blows it was receiving to the sky that blazed with fire and lightning. In a mere month the daiyokais Inutaisho and Ryukutsusei had changed what took nature millions of years to create, the mountains were all but diminished to rubble._

"_Centuries of peace betwixt us two and you seek to destroy it, why?" The serpentine dragon known as Ryukutsusei still wrestled with the shocking affront to his kindness by the Great and Terrible Lord of the Western Lands. He brought his tail up and swiped at the silver haired demon, his efforts were in vain as Inutaisho side stepped the attack and leapt to the peak of what was left of the north mountain._

"_Will you step down in the face of my son as I have asked?" Inutaisho reiterated the question asked when he first arrived._

"_Never, I am Ryukutsei, daiyoukai of the north mountains, I would rather die than acquiesce such a nepotistic request! Stand down for your pathetic son, NEVER!"_

"_Then you leave me no choice, Ryukutsusei. Prepare yourself for hell!"_

"_Fool!" the dragon roared, unsheathing the clawed arm he had until this moment refrained from using. As Inutaisho barreled towards his jugular, the pale toned serpent punched sideways, digging his claw tipped digits into the silver dog's exposed side._

_Inutaisho gritted his canine teeth as something sharp sliced through fur and flesh, digging it's way between his ribcage._

"_GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

* * *

"_Inutaisho," Izayoi had sat up in the chair she was resting on and looked towards the Northern mountains. It was back, that feeling of dread that had settled into her heart when Takemaru arrived had resurfaced ten fold what it was. What was her love doing at this moment, was he safe?_

'_I must go to him,' the thought drove her to her feet and out towards the garden. She pretended to meander towards the sakura tree for some flowers, keeping the wary guards in her peripheral vision until they lost interest and continued their trek around the perimeter of the House of Tenshimaru._

"_Izayoi, what are you doing?" someone whispered, the former lady of the house turned to see Yukiko heading towards the outer yard to hang some wet linens._

"_It's Inutaisho, something bad has happened I just know it, I need to see him!" she pleaded._

"_And how do you intend to escape, you're swollen with child and guards are everywhere?"_

_Izayoi thought for a moment, the dye Izayoi made was stronger than she thought, in other words Yukiko still looked like her. Perfect! She grabbed the linens from the basket and began shoving them into Yukiko's haori._

"_Izayoi, what-? Pretend to be me," Izayoi explained, "Takemaru doesn't come to see me, you just need to fool the guards." She removed the maids head piece that was on Yukiko's head and put it on her own, tucking her hair inside, she then removed the yukata she was wearing and draped it over Yukiko's shoulders._

"_You're the only one here that's pregnant, how will you hide that?" she asked pointing to Izayuoi's belly. Izayoi picked up the now empty wicker basket and ripped a side of it off; she slipped her stomach into the basket and draped linen over it, looking like a maid carrying some clean linen out rather than a pregnant lady escaping the dojo._

_Yukiko shook her head, "Don't leave Izayoi, I'm scared of what he'll do if he finds out."_

_Izayoi placed a small hand on Yukiko's shoulder, "I need to see him, if anything else to keep him from coming back here and killing these men." She then turned and started with the basket over her stomach out to the yard._

* * *

"_Relent Inutaisho," The dragon hissed, cracking through the dogs ribs and tearing into his lung, "Your son's life has nothing to do with your own, let his arrogance cloud his mind and lead him to certain death. I lust for such a fight, give me the rush of victory, the knowledge that I felled such an ignorant dog demon, make a new heir to your throne, a wiser one."_

_Inutaisho growled, choking back the warm, coppery liquid fighting it's way up his throat, sweat began to drip as his demon body fought to fix what the dragon had broken, "My…son…will never fall to someone as weak as you."_

"_Are those really the words of someone so close to death, with one flick my hollow claws can inject your pathetic body with a venom that will keep this wound from closing, you will die a slow and painful death." He leaned closer to the heaving hound, his tongue flickering in and out as he spoke, "Your efforts are in vain, you are too weak to defeat me, flee and let your son die."_

"_Baka," Inutaisho growled._

"_Nani?"_

"_My sons are of great importance to me, I care not for myself. If my death ensures their lives, then so be it."_

* * *

_Izayoi's heart was pounding in her chest, partly because of the escape, but most of the fear was still concentrated on her love. What was happening at this moment to the her dog demon? She bustled through the hallways, fearing discovery every time a guard passed her. Despite their cruelty, she worried for them. Her lover was a relentless man when it came to things he desired, for Takemaru to put their lives on the line filled her with sorrow for her jilted ex-lover and the men involved. She prayed her disappearance would not anger Takemaru, if anything perhaps the man would pursue her, at least then he would be out of the collision course with Inutaisho._

"_Maid!" a familiar voice barked from the common room she was almost past, she stopped and turned to see Takemaru lounging alone on the silk floor pillows that used to be her mother's, her heart nearly stopped, had he discovered her?_

_An eternity seemed to pass before he spoke again, "Do you not hear me, maid?"_

"_Y-yes, m'lord?" she asked, lowering her voice and breathing deeply to calm it's quivering tone. Takemaru had yet to realize or was pulling her along when he reached his hand out, "Those linens are fresh are they not, give me one."_

_Izayoi fought to keep her hands from shaking, her throat had suddenly gone dry, there was only one linen in the basket and it was covering her stomach, "They are still wet my lord."_

"_All the better, the winter fire has coagulated in the house, it's stifling in here."_

"_Permit me to open the windows, my lord." Izayoi offered, she prayed he'd buy it._

_Takemaru stared at her through the dimly lit room, Izayoi was grateful the fireplace was the only source of light at this moment._

_The lord of Setsuna had paused to sip from his sake, as Izayoi waited there, she began to recognize the smell of alcohol that permeated the room, and with it the realization that the situation had gone from bad to worse, Takemaru's drunken state could send him into a fit if he realized who she was, she needed to leave fast._

_He hacked at the liquid searing his throat, "No, just give me the linen and leave me."_

_Izayoi took a deep breath and turned the basket upwards as she lifted the linen and handed it to him, she prayed as hard as she could that he couldn't see the cut lines in the basket._

_Takemaru grabbed the cloth and draped it over his face, sighing as the cool linen absorbed his sweat and cleared him slightly of his drunken state. _

_The lady of Tenshimaru had turned to leave when Takemaru called out once again, "Maid."_

"_Yes, milord?" she asked, not daring to turn again._

"_Have the cook prepare something for me."_

_Izayoi breathed a sigh of relief, "As you wish my lord." Her heart calmed, knowing she's gotten past the worst part of the gauntlet unscathed. The pregnant girl had started towards the hallway so hurriedly that she failed to see the sake saucer on the floor, her heel fell right in the middle of the saucer, causing it to slide underneath her. She cried out as she fell, the basket flew from her hands as she tried to break her fall, bouncing on the marble floor and rolling to the feet of Takemaru._

_Izayoi landed on her side, hard. Adrenaline coursed through the apex of her thighs and back upwards through her stomach. The child within her kicked against her ribcage, almost protesting the ride it's mother suddenly sent it on._

_Within her Izayoi felt something begin to tighten, it was not painful but it made her stomach uncomfortable._

"_Izayoi," the young girl suddenly remembered who she was with when she took her little tumble, her eyes scanned frantically for the wicker basket, the key to her escape, only to find the stick-bare thing dangling back and forth from the finger of Takemaru._

_He stared at the basket, then looked down at the girl below him, "Once again you try to make a fool of me," he said, almost entirely to himself._

"_No, Takemaru, it's not what it seems." Tears of frustration and fear began to bite at the corner of Izayoi's eyes._

"_Where were you going, TO SEE YOUR BASTARD DEMON LOVER?!" he closed the distance between them and seized Izayoi by the wrists, jerking her across the floor and practically throwing her onto the pillows. Izayoi winced as the act of being thrown so roughly caused her stomach to tighten once again._

_Takemaru began to pace manically, he laughed to himself and shook his head, "You break my heart, refuse my offer of forgiveness and add further insult to injury by trying to fool me?"_

"_I have to go, Takemaru, he will kill you, please!" _

"_SILENCE, I am the lord of this house and I shall pass judgment on all of those who wrong me, prepare yourself Izayoi."_

* * *

_Ryukutsusei scowled at his opponent's foolishness, as promised venom rushed through his claws into the body of Inutaisho. _

_Sealing the fate of the Great Dog Demon._

_And his as well._

_Inutaisho knew Ryukutsusei would be distracted and ignored the searing venom pulsating through his veins long enough to lunge forwards and dig his fangs into the unguarded throat of the dragon. He pushed the writhing snake backwards into the cliff side, pushing so that his fang pierced through Ryukutsusei's neck and drove into the rocks itself. With a jerk of his snout he broke off his fang._

_The dragon howled in pain and writhed like a fish out of water against the craggy mountain, he released Inutaisho as his claws frantically scratched at the fang. To his horror the tooth would not budge, the magic within spread through his body faster than the venom coursing through Inutaisho. His body grew rigid like the rocks around him, "Damn you Inutaisho!" he bellowed._

_Inutaisho was on one knee, grabbing at the open wound, but he was smiling. "You're right, I can't defeat you...so I'll seal you away."_

_Ryukutsusei had either calmed or the seal kept him from moving, either way he became still, "For now, but these seals are not forever, I know this spell, your descendants will be the only ones able to free me, since you are dying. You've only prolonged the inevitable Inutaisho, I will once again be free, and when I am I will rip both of them apart limb by limb."_

"_With only half of your power, I doubt it."_

"_What?!"_

"_My son's will become strong enough to defeat you, of that I am sure, but if they are as impatient as their father, they might try prematurely, if you are brought back, your power will only be half of what it was."_

* * *

"**ONLY HALF**?!" Inuyasha nearly shrieked, the dragon had nearly killed him when they fought and it was only half as good as it was when his father fought him.

"Well your father knew you would be a little hard headed milord. It was insurance against you."

Kagome restrained Inuyasha from grinding Myoga into the ground, "Relax Inuyasha, your father did it to protect you, he knew you and Sesshomaru would one day be strong enough to kill Ryukutsusei but he knew you might not wait that long, and you didn't. Even in death he saved your life."

* * *

"_You think he loves you, I loved you, I still…love you…" For a moment Takemaru's anger subsided, his fingers tapped along his mouth as he stared at the fire to his left, his mind contemplating something, "How much would a fickle demon such as yours still love you if you've been touched by another human male I wonder?"_

_Izayoi's heart plummeted into her stomach, she backed away from her ex, "Takemaru, don't, don't do this. The Takemaru I knew was kind and gentle-,"_

"_The Takemaru you knew is dead, turn and face the cruel husband you yourself created." He said as he dove downwards, seizing Izayoi's wrists and pinning them against the floor._

_Izayoi cried out as his grip increased, smashing the bones in her hands together. Takemaru had straddled her, his knees pushing her milky while legs apart. With little effort he managed to untie her haori and pulled the folds apart, exposing her swollen breasts._

"_Takemaru, no!" she cried, the tightening in her stomach had intensified and was slowly becoming painful._

"_Silence, the youkai has touched what was mine, now I will touch what is his!" he took both of her wrists into one hand and with the free one dove into her under clothing, his fingers parting her folds._

_A smile spread across his face, "You're so wet, Izayoi." He brought his hand back out to show her, but was shocked when the liquid dousing his digits was not clear but clear and red._

_It became clear to Izayoi then. She then clenched her jaw as another wave of pain overtook her._

_Two guards rushed in, when they saw the scene before them they hesitated, "Uh…"_

_Takemaru turned to them, "What is it?" he asked._

"_Sir, we've spotted a daiyoukai walking along the beach east of here, silver hair, yellow eyes as you described."_

_Izayoi gasped, "No."_

_Takemaru rose and started toward the men, "Finally, prepare the men for battle, and have someone escort Izayoi back to her room, let this be the last time she escapes."_

_When the men departed, Yukiko and two other maids rushed in to help her._

"_My Kami, Izayoi, what did he do to you?" Yukiko asked._

"_Nothing, he...didn't get the chance," she said between ragged breaths, she then turned and looked out the window, the moon was out and bright against the cold night sky, as she stared she realized tonight was the lunar eclipse; another wave of pain shook her._

"_Izayoi! What's wrong," Yukiko asked._

_The raven haired girl looked up at her friend, "I think the baby is coming…"_

* * *

"_You're a fool Inutaisho! You've gone and killed yourself and for what, a son who will never know his father and a son who will despise you for the rest of his days? WHY DO SOMETHING SO FOOLISH?!"_

"_Because I love them." Inutaisho breathed._

_Ryulutsusei's breathing slowed to almost nothing, his eyes glared at Inutaisho as the last of him succumbed to the spell, "Until next time Inutaisho, until…next…time." The stone engulfed his face silenced the dragon for what Inutaisho would hope but not expect to be forever._

_And with that it was over, the dog demon sheathed his sword._

"_Inutaisho-sama!" The dying dog demon turned to see a speck bounding towards him, "Myoga, what are you doing here?"_

_The servile flea kicked upwards, landing on his masters shoulder armor, "I came to…Inutaisho-sama, what's happened?" he asked staring at the gushing wound in his lord's side, it couldn't be…there was no way that his master was…_

"_I'm dying, Myoga." Inutaisho stated as calmly as though nothing was happening to him._

"_Y-you cannot die milord! There's so much to do, so much to conquer, this can't be happening!" The little flea fell to his knees, weeping in disbelief._

_Despite everything Inutaisho laughed, "The way you carry on, you'd think you were the one on death's door. I'm not long for this world, Myoga, state your business."_

_Myoga wiped at his tears, he had to remember for a moment that he was after all a youkai, he couldn't be swayed by such human-like emotions, there was so much he wanted to say to and ask his master, but there was business at hand, important business, "Sesshomaru sent me, he waits for you at the northern beach."_

"_I see," Inutaisho breathed, the time was here. What would his son say, in his heart of hearts he knew his son learned of his father's interference. Would Sesshomaru come to hate him in his last moments. Inutaisho would soon find out._

* * *

_Izayoi screamed, all around the maids and Yukiko bustled with towels and warm water. Her body crashed and contracted together in the most excutiating of ways, her inner walls widened with every painful tense, "I have to stop him!" she cried._

"_What you did was foolish, Izayoi, he could have killed you!" Yukiko yelled._

"_Please Yukiko, call him to me." Izayoi pleaded._

"_Are you mad?! He's furious enough as it is, to call him to you while you're birthing this child will send him on a rampage."_

"_I need to try, I was the only he'd listen to, I need those men out of here, he'll kill them!"_

"_ENOUGH!" Miki rose to her feet, "Enough of this foolishness Izayoi, how much more will we sacrifice for your decisions?!"_

_Yukiko stepped in, "Miki-,"_

"_I won't have it Yukiko, none of us will, we've been silent for too long. We love Izayoi-sama, but this child, this child has brought us nothing but pain and suffering!"_

"_You're out of line Miki!" Yukiko yelled._

"_If I am I am not the only one we all think this way!" Miki gestured to the other maids, who nodded. "This dog-demon stole our mistresses' heart and brought nothing but misfortune to the house of Tenshimaru! From the moment Izayoi started venturing into the forest, bad luck has followed us, the war, the death of the master and mistress, the seizure of the house we all came love!" She rose to her feet and stared down at the lady, "I've helped raise you since you were a child Izayoi, my love for you will not falter, but I cannot stand by and watch you throw your life away for a demon." She reached into her haori and pulled out a knife, "I care not if I die at the hands of the youkai, so long as I rid you of this child!"_

"_NO!" Izayoi screamed, Yukiko pulled the umbilical knife from the fire that was cleansing it and sliced it across Miki's face. _

_The old maid screamed and fell backwards, the other maids staring in horror and fear._

"_You disgust me, get out!" Yukiko seethed._

"_You're making a mistake, Yukiko." Miki quivered as she clutched to her bleeding cheek._

"_Trusting in you was the only mistake I've made, begone from here!" Yukiko yelled._

_Izayoi stared through watery eyes as her nursemaid, the woman she'd known as a second mother, stared at her with disdain and turned on her heels, the other maids following close behind._

* * *

_He stood at the top step of the palace, dressed for battle in gleaming red samurai armor. At his hip, itching for blood, hung the sword he would use to kill he who stole his love away._

_As the men below him fell into formation, what was left of his sane mind began to wander. In his haste to verify what Soranoriko told him, he had never really given himself time to process everything that had happened, 'How...how did it come to this? Izayoi, my pure virginal bride, where did you go? Who is this person who claims to be you and where did she hide you away?' When did leaving to do battle and waiting for the day he'd marry Izayoi turn into this?_

_And Inutaisho, once again the hatred that consumed him flared with jealousy, how many innocent maidens like his Izayoi had fallen victim to the beast? How many hanyous roamed the earth, poisoning the gene pool of the human race as a result of the devil's lust? He hated Inutaisho and he hated Izayoi!_

_His anger faltered, tripped up by the heart that still loved Izayoi. Could he, did he really hate her? Takemaru's eyesight fell to the ground, he was never the type to lie to himself, he saw the facts for what they were. Izayoi betrayed him, but she did not lie to him. He recalled the clear look in her eyes, the unflinching acceptance of what she'd done and the heartfelt apology she gave him. Her heart did cry out for his broken one._

"_My love..." he quickly shook the thought away, 'No! Her heart was consumed by that damn dog, he defiled her, stole her from me. My Izayoi's soul has been replaced by one enslaved to that thing!'_

"_Takemaru-sama!" the lord of Setsuna was shaken from his thoughts and turned to see who was calling him. Miki, flanked by two visibly shaken maids jostled their way through the marching soldiers and up the steps, kneeling at the feet of their lord._

"_Is that youkai here?" Takemaru asked, assuming the scratch on Miki's face was the work of Inutaisho._

_Miki shook her head as she tried to catch her breath, "The lady Izayoi has gone into labor. She seeks an audience with you."_

_The final staw had been laid upon the camel's back, Takemaru froze for a moment, 'My Izayoi is in labor, how I wish...how I wished for that day to come, for her to bring into the world a son she and I created...but no...it's not mine...it will never be mine...'_

_He turned and started towards the southern wall where Izayoi's room was, "Be wary my lord, 'twas Yukiko who scratched my face, I tried my lord, I tried to rid Izayoi of that thing, Yukuki is her supporter."_

"_Worry not Miki," he said as he disappeared into the darkened palace, "I will free her...once and for all."_

* * *

_On the northern beach, in the light of the waning winter moon they stood alone, the last great dog demons. Icy waves crashed against the frozen sand, trying but failing repeatedly to reach the boots of the Daiyoukai's son._

_He stared at Inutaisho with rage and contempt swirling within his amber eyes._

"_Will you say nothing, Sesshomaru?" he asked._

"_What is there to say to someone such as you?" he spat._

_Inutaisho smiled, "Such anger, and you have every right to be, I've interfered with your conquest."_

"_Why?"_

"_You'll know in time, my son."_

"_Is that what you intend to leave me with? That human-like fatherly advice is unbecoming of you, you whom I aspired to be, whom I aspired to defeat!" Sesshomaru yelled, it was only in the company of his father that the youkai ever showed any emotion, and by the look at the bleeding wound on his father's side it wouldn't be long before it was the last time._

"_I'm sorry-DON'T TELL ME THAT!" Sesshomaru was far from finished, "Don't you dare tell me you're sorry. You've robbed me of two victories, you will not rob me of another. Fight me!"_

_Sesshomaru charged Inutaisho, claws drawn, the dying youkai would not be the one to block but rather Sounga, who emerged from the sword and sent a Dragon Twister at the oncoming youkai._

_Sesshomaru barely managed to side swipe the attack, he did not retreat, but stopped his onslaught. _

"_There are those who need me Sesshomaru, I'm sorry for my shortcomings, but I will not be able to battle you."_

"_If you refuse to fight then there's no point, this is not an admission of defeat, nor is it one of understanding, I will never forgive you for this, father." Sesshomaru spat._

"_I understand. It's not my place to ask, but will you acquiesce a request?" Inutaisho asked._

_Sesshomaru winced, "I owe you nothing."_

_Inutaisho reached into his haori and produced a small pearl, "Give this to your brother."_

"_That thing is no brother of mine and you should know that one day I will kill him."_

"_Will you?" Inutaisho asked._

_Before Sesshomaru could speak, Saia, Sounga's youkai seal appeared from the sheath, "Master, the youkai on the winds have informed me Izayoi has gone into labor, however the palace in which she resides has been seized by her ex-lover Takemaru of Setsuna."_

_Inutaisho turned, "I leave you my final request, my son. I will not blame you if you do not agree to do as I have asked."_

"_Father, do you insist on going?" Sesshomaru asked._

"_Do you intend to stop me Sesshomaru?"_

"_I will not stand in your way, however before you go, you must entrust the swords Sounga and Tetsusaiga to me." Such swords will help his dying father little, and such swords would assist him on his rise to power._

_But Inutaisho had other plans, still he had to know just what was in his son's heart._

"_Do you desire such power so much, why do you seek power, my son?" He tried to remember the time in which power was all he himself sought, ever since Izayoi however, it had all become so fuzzy._

"_The path I walk is the one of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me."_

_Inutaisho looked down, "Supreme conquest." He re-iterated, there was such a power, he himself discovered it not too long ago, but without him there to guide his son, how would he assure he found the way? He fell silent for a moment before asking, "Tell me Sesshomaru, have you someone to protect?"_

_Sesshomaru did not understand his father's question, "Protect?" He repeated, why would someone such as he have or need someone to protect, protection was a human trait, a youkai such as he needed no such motivation._

"_The answer is no, I, Sesshomaru have no need of such."_

_Inutaisho however, knew that the gears had begun to turn in his son's mind. The rest was now up to Sesshomaru._

_With nothing left to say, Inutaisho transformed into his true self and took off into then night, leaving Sesshomaru alone on the beach._

_The eldest son stared at the place where his father once stood, before turning and departing with a disdainful, "Rediculous."_

* * *

_Within the inner walls of the House of Tenshimaru, all was quiet. Takemaru of Setsuna padded his way down the hallway towards Izayoi's chambers._

_Yukiko spotted him and ran towards him, "Is there something I can help you with, my lord?"_

"_Izayoi has summoned me." He stated._

_Yukiko's heart plummeted into her stomach, "A-all is well my lord, the lady is resting. Please go back and continue preparation for your battle."_

"_Save your facade, Yukiko, I know you side with the child of that monster." He spat._

_Yukiko threw herself to the floor, "I implore you not to enter, Lord Takemaru, the lady is in labor!" She prayed the vulnerable state of Takemaru's ex-love would deter him from entering, it didn't._

_Takemaru passed her without so much as a glance, "She will birth a child fathered by a demon, there is no need for decorum."_

"_The birthing room is forbidden to men!" Yukiko screamed._

_Takemaru turned and stared at the girl, at the eyes and hair that resembled his love's, this woman consorted with Izayoi to fool him, she sided with the youkai's child, there was no place in his future for a woman like her. He started back towards Yukiko and raised his yari, "Takemaru!" Yukiko screamed as the lord reamed her with the spear._

_Izayoi was now alone, a prisoner of her own body as it pushed the child towards her loins, "My dearest..." she breathed._

* * *

"_PLEASE MASTER I BEG YOU NOT TO BE SO RASH!" Myoga screamed, the little flea clung to dear life as his master bounded through the forest towards the House of Tenshimaru, "You must reconsider, my lord, the wounds from your battle with Ryukutsusei have not yet healed, this is sheer madness!"_

"_That doesn't matter, I cannot afford to lose her!" Inutaisho barked, he knew the flea still held some hope that he would get better, but it was nothing but a wish, "Besides, I am not long for this world."_

* * *

_With Yukiko dead, Takemaru took no time reaching the entrance of Izayoi's chambers, he paused for a moment and gazed at the moon, "The night of a lunar eclipse, excellent. It's a perfect time to slay a demon."_

_Izayoi was towards the end of her labor, her tired body fought to push the last of the infant into the birth canal, a noise outside pulled her attention away momentarily, "Who is it?" she asked._

"_It is I, Takemaru of Setsuna." The person replied._

"_Takemaru..." Izayoi knew it was her last chance to convince the man to stand down, "Thank goodness you've arrived, you must gather the men standing guard outside and leave the ground at once, please do as I say, I fear there is no one who is strong enough to challenge him." She knew Takemaru knew that, but if it helped to drive the point home, if it helped to save the lives of the people she cared for, she'd do anything._

"_My lady," he replied in a more cordial manner that usual, "I have always felt a deep connection with you, as I'm sure you are aware."_

"_Takemaru, please..." Izayoi begged._

_He raised the yari he used to end Yukiko's life, "Even though I know full well that your heart has been captured by a demon!" he seethed as he rammed the blade through the screen._

_Izayoi screamed as the spear pierced through the wall and into her side, the pain of the stabbing was too much for her labor worn body to take and so she fainted._

_Takemaru rose to his feet, pausing for a moment to see is she was still breathing, when he heard nothing he turned and started back towards the entrance, "My feelings will never change for you, my lady." He murmured with a tear._

_Izayoi fought from succumbing to the quickly encroaching darkness, though her life was fading, the child within her still lived, it's tiny legs kicking at her sides as if to say, "I'm still here!" Her body was shutting down, too tired to continue, but her spirit called for the life of her baby. _

_Inutaisho had finally arrived at the palace, roaring into the night, he prepared himself for the final battle._

_Lifting her arm Izayoi grabbed the spear and wrenched it from her sides, each agonizing second feeling like hours before she was able to remove it. Free from the yari, she raced against death to free her infant from her. She pushed downwards, screaming as each push tore the wound between her ribcage more and more, hot blood was soaking through her winter kimono, her lung capacity was ever shrinking, but she pushed on. Finally with one last push, the baby slipped from her womanhood and began to cry just as the moon was concealed by the eclipse._

_Takemaru heard the cry and thought to turn back when a loud crash sounded from the front of the palace._

_Her heart was slowing down, with the last of her strength, she reached down and gingerly pulled the slippery, crying infant from between her legs. It soothed a little as she opened her haori and weakly placed him against her breast. Her vision was fading but she could still make out the baby's features, "Whi-white hair...just like your father's...golden eyes, Inu...taisho's eyes, little dog ears...how precious..." as her heart beat it's final beat she stared down at it and smiled, "Yukiko...we...were wrong...it's...a...boy..."_

* * *

_The men watched in shock and disbelief as a massive white dog landed at the entrance of the House of Tenshimaru before transforming into a terrifying demon adorned with swords and armor. Inutaisho unsheathed Tetsusaiga and raised it above his head, "KAZE NO KIZU!" he screamed as he brought the huge blade downwards, energy errupted from the sword and stormed towards the men, blowing the entrance open with little effort. The men that weren't blown away from the explosion quickly set after the silver haired demon, archers laying down a barrage of arrows towards the approaching enemy._

_Inuyaisho side-stepped the initial attack and with a twirl sent another Wind Scar towards the remaining men._

"_Izayoi, IZAYOI!" he called out._

_Takemaru, the last man standing stepped forwards from within the darkness of the palace, the moment was finally here, the chance to kill he who ruined his life._

"_At last you've come, demon, a little late though."_

"_What?!" Inutaisho demanded._

_A wicked smile spread across Takemaru's face, "Lady Izayoi is beyond your reach now, I dispatched her myself."_

_Rage filled Inutaisho, "DAMN YOU FOOL!" He yelled and charged Takemaru._

_Takemaru mirrored the action, drawing his sword and rushing the demon. The two clashed for a split second before Inutaisho continued past him and into the palace._

_A second passed before Takemaru's severed arm fell to the ground, the rest of him shortly after. He cradled his bleeding nub, "Set the mansion afire, with that demon and everyone inside, BURN IT TO THE GROUND!" He ordered._

_Once again a barrage of burning arrows rained down on the House of Tenshimaru, within seconds the palace was ablaze. Inutaisho weaved through the burning maze, his only guide Izayoi's fading scent and the cry of his son. After what seemed like an eternity to him he found them under the burning birthing tent, "Izayoi! Izayoi..." he muttered when he saw his love dead, her arms locked around the baby in an attempt to shield it from the blaze._

_He grabbed the new sword Totosai forged for him and unsheathed, "Please work." He prayed, like with the bird the sword caused the world to change from one plain to the next, already the youkai's of the after life were binding Izayoi's soul with their chains, "Carry out my will Tensaiga." He pleaded before slicing the reapers in half, to his relief the world returned to normal, the wound in Izayoi's side sealed and her heart began to beat once more. She stirred after a moment and gazed up at Inutaisho, "Dearest."_

"_I've returned, Izayoi." he said with a smile. He then rose and pulled a red kimono out from his belt and draped it over Izayoi and the baby, "This is the robe of the Fire Rat, it will protect you. Leave this place."_

"_What about you?" she asked._

"_I've something to attend to." He stated simply._

"_Please come with me, Inutaisho!" she pleaded._

_He flashed her a sad smile, "I'm sorry, my love, but it seems I'm going to be leaving you alone again." He turned to show her the wound in his side._

"_No! I'll heal you, I'll figure out a way-," she fell silent as Inutaisho knelt down and kissed her deeply. He pulled away, "There's no cure for this," he then looked down at the baby in her arms, silver hair and golden eyes, this child was his father's son alright. He ran a clawed hand over the infant's forehead, "My son, please grow big and strong." He then turned back to Izayoi and traced the scar on her neck, "I told you there would be a time in which I explain this, our son would have out lived you, this mark will prolong your life, please Izayoi, live long, live for our son."_

_A presence called their attention to what was left of the entrance. In the blaze stood Takemaru, his eyes set on Inutaisho. The youkai rose and unsheathed Sounga, "I have no regrets about fighting you to the death," Takemaru stated as he started towards Inutaisho, "Let us journey together into the netherworld."_

_Inutiasho prepared himself, "Live long."_

"_My dearest." Izayoi whimpered._

_As the building began to crumble around them, Inutaisho bestowed one last thing._

"_Inuyasha."_

"_What is that?" Takemaru asked._

"_The infant's name," he explained to Izayoi, "the child shall be called Inuyasha."_

_Izayoi looked down at her son, "Inuyasha..." she repeated._

"_Now go!" he ordered._

_A selfish part of Izayoi wanted to stay by her lover's side, wanted to die in the flames alongside Inutaisho, wanted to be with him as the palace came crashing down around them, but she could not, she had to live now, for her son._

* * *

"With a nod, she turned away from the fight and ran towards the forest that began this story, she lived as long as she could for her son, you, Inuyasha-sama." Myoga stated.

There wasn't a dry eye among them, even the tough hanyou turned away from the group to blink back the tears for his father.

"Sugoi..." Sango breathed.

"Wonderful." Miroku agreed.

"So that's how it all happened." Shippo said, committing the wonderful story to memory.

Myoga nodded, "So I hoped this answered all of your questions." He stated and with that, packed up his things and bounded off to places unknown.

"Did it?" Kagome asked Inuyasha.

The hanyou nodded, "Yeah...but wait! You didn't explain why Sesshomaru hasn't killed me yet.

Kagome smiled, "Isn't it obvious? You're his brother and he loves you."

Inuyasha snorted, "Funny, now what's the real answer."

Kagome shook her head with a smile and patted Inuyasha's head, "That is the real answer, it'll just take time for you to realize it. You ready to go?"

Inuyasha stared at the group, who were packed and waiting for him, he smiled, "Yeah, I'm ready. I just have one request."

Kagome slipped on her backpack and turned back to him, "Sure, what's up?"

Inuyasha bent over and waited for the teen to get on his back before he murmured, "Live long for me Kagome, o.k?"

Kagome blushed a little bit, but then smiled and whispered, "I will."

* * *

*Limping with a stack of papers* There, it's, it's done, finished, over! Inuyasha: A Prologue has finally been completed!

Sesshomaru: Have you forgotten the Epilogue?

Me: WHAT?!

R&R


End file.
